STEVENSON'S   REGIMENT 

IN  CALIFORNIA. 


'        O>: 


BANCROFT    LIBRARY 


1846-1882. 

THE  FIRST  REGIMENT 


OF 


HEW  YOBK  VOLUNTEERS 


COMMANDED   BY 


COL.  JONATHAN    D.  STEVENSON, 

IN    THE   MEXICAN   WAR. 


NAMES   OF  THE    MEMBERS  OF  THE   REGIMENT    DURING  ITS  TERM   OF 

SERVICE  IN   UPPER  AND   LOWER  CALIFORNIA,  1847-1848,  WITH   A 

RECORD  OF  ALL  KNOWN  SURVIVORS  ON  THE  ISTH   DAY 

OF  APRIL,   1882,    AND    THOSE    KNOWN    TO    HAVE 

DECEASED,  WITH    OTHER    MATTERS   OF 

INTEREST  PERTAINING  TO  THE 
»  ORGANIZATION    AND 

SERVICE    OF    THE 
REGIMENT. 


COMPILED    BY   THEIR   COMRADE, 

FRANCIS    D.   CLARK 


GEO.  S.  EVANS  &  Co.,  PRINTERS,  38  CORTLANDT  STREET. 
—  1882  — 


NOTE. 

The  names  recorded  in  this  work  have  been 
furnished  by  GENERAL  R.  C.  DRUM,  Adjutant- 
General  of  the  Army,  from  the  official  rolls  of 
the  regiment  on  file  in  the  WAR  DEPARTMENT. 
The  record  appended  to  each  name  has  been 
prepared  with  great  care,  notwithstanding  which 
inaccuracies  may  be  discovered.  Those  survivors 
to  which  an  *  is  attached,  the  information  was 
derived  directly  from  themselves  by  letter  or 
personal  interview — to  those  reported  deceased, 
the  date  and  place  of  death  is  given,  where  the 
information  could  be  obtained  ;  in  all  cases  where 
the  State  is  not  designated,  the  place  mentioned 
is  in  California.  Comrades  in  perusing  the  rolls 
are  particularly  requested  to  report  any  error  or 
information  omitted. 

F.  D.  C. 


Tf-ffl  EAftC          T  UERAi 


/;S  HKV 


INTRODUCTION. 


•  COMRADES: 

In  presenting  this  Liliputian  volume  no  apology  is  offered. 
It  contains  all  the  information  and  facts  possible  in  a  space 
of  necessity  limited  by  the  funds  contributed  therefor  by  a  few 
of  our  comrades.  You  will  find,  however,  a  record  that  may 
prove  interesting  and  valuable  to  all — the  names  of  those  who 
served  in  the  regiment  during  its  term  of  service  in  California, 
a  record  of  those  known  to  be  living,  also  of  those  known 
to  have  deceased.  This  information,  while  not  as  complete  as 
desired,  has  been  acquired  during  a  period  of  eleven  years, 
requiring  over  one  thousand  written  communications,  and  the 
distribution,  during  that  period,  of  some  fifteen  hundred  printed 
circulars  and  postal  cards  addressed  to  comrades,  involving 
labor  and  expense  of  which  this  little  waif  fails  to  give  the 
reader  an  adequate  idea ;  the  labor,  however,  \vas  one  of  love, 
and  I  trust  it  may  prove  an  acceptable  offering  to  my  surviv 
ing  comrades  and  their  friends. 

Thirty-five  years  have  elapsed  since  our  regiment  landed 
.on  the  soil  of  California,  and  over  thirty-three  years  have 
passed  since  the  Government  dispensed  with  our  services,  leav 
ing  each  member  of  the  regiment  free  from  further  military 
service,  and  thereafter  to  assume  the  responsibility  of  citizen 
ship,  each  for  himself  to  carve  out  his  own  future.  In  one 
respect  we  were  favored  beyond  any  other  regiment  serving 
during  the  Mexican  war,  in  being  discharged  in  California  the 
same  year  that  gold  was  discovered  at  Sutter's  saw-mill,  but  a 
few  months  subsequent  to  that  event,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted 


8 


that  so  few  of  us  are  enjoying  the  benefits  resulting  from 
that  wonderful  discovery.  Yet  it  is  a  question  whether  that 
discovery  was  not  as  unfortunate  for  ourselves,  as  it  proved 
to  be  for  many  others  in  the  country,  including  that  noble  old 
pioneer,  General  John  A.  Sutter,  through  whose  instrumentality 
the  discovery  was  made.  Is  it  not  a  matter  of  fact,  that  it 
somewhat  rudely  invaded  happy  homes,  and  interrupted  the 
peaceful,  prosperous,  and  contented  lives  then  being  led  by  the 
native  population  of  California. 

I  will  make  no  attempt  to  lay  before  you  the  difficulties 
experienced  in  obtaining  the  information  presented  in  these 
pages.  The  long  period  that  elapsed  since  the  discharge  of 
the  regiment,  had  erased  from  the  memory  of  the  majority  of 
our  comrades  the  recollection  of  events,  many  died  within  a 
few  years  subsequent  to  their  discharge  from  the  service,  many 
were  scattered  to  remote  parts  of  the  world,  and  too  many 
were  disinclined  to  take  up  the  pen  to  transmit  a  record  of  what 
their  memory  may  have  retained,  but  others  freely  contributed 
such  information  as  they  possessed  or  could  obtain. 

My  own  experience  regarding  the  surviving  members  of  the 
regiment  has  undoubtedly  been  that  of  others.  In  1870 — 
when  I  first  entered  upon  this  self-imposed  task — I  knew  of 
only  two  other  members  of  the  regiment  living  in  New  York — 
notwithstanding  my  having  been  engaged  in  business  there  for 
the  fifteen  years  prior  to  that  date,  I  ascertained  that  during 
that  time  twelve  others  were  also  residents  of  the  city ;  but 
considering  the  fact  that  the  members  of  the  •  regiment  were 
conveyed  to  California  in  six  transports,  and  while  in  California 
were  stationed  in  eight  towns,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  that 
to  a  great  extent  they  were  almost  strangers  to  each  other, 
many  acquaintances  being  formed  subsequent  to  their  discharge 
from  the  service. 

A  homely  but  familiar  adage  says:  "Self  praise  is  no  recom 
mendation;"  all  that  is  given  in  these  pages  in  commendation 
of  our  old  organization  comes  from  those  who  were  in  nowise 


connected  therewith;  and  from  that  evidence  may  our  fellow- 
citizens  judge  of  its  character;  to  these  impartial  critics  may 
we  safely  entrust  our  record,  which  now  forms  part  of  the 
history  of  our  beloved  country. 

In  1871,  and  again  in  1874,  you  were  furnished  with  a 
pamphlet  giving  the  result  of  my  researches  up  to  those  dates. 
With  this  publication  I  bring  my  labors  to  a  close,  trusting 
they  have  not  been  altogether  in  vain  ;  should  they  be  the 
means  of  renewing  old  acquaintance,  after  so  long  a  separation, 
or  of  reviving  old  associations  of  those  eventful  days,  I  shall 
feel  amply  repaid  for  the  time  and  labor  expended  thereon. 

In  conclusion,  I  beg  to  tender  my  sincere  thanks  for  the 
courtesy,  kindness  and  assistance  granted  to  me  by  the  Hon. 
Robert  T.  Lincoln,  Secretary  of  War — General  William  T. 
Sherman,  U.  S.  A. — who,  having  served  contemporaneous 
with  us  in  California,  has  upon  many  occasions  in  late  years 
exhibited  his  friendship  for  the  members  of  our  regiment — Gen. 
R.  C.  Drum,  Adjutant  General  U.  S.  Army,  Col.  Jonathan  D. 
Stevenson,  (our  Colonel),  Col.  Thomas  C.  Lancey,  and  John  Q. 
Adams,  Esq.,  and  to  the  press  of  the  Golden  State. 

FRANCIS  D.  CLARK, 

Late  Co.  D,  First  Regt.,  N.  Y.  Vols. 


RETROSPECT. 


IN  1846,  the  year  war  was  declared  between  the  United  States 
and  Mexico,  the  question  of  a  journey  to  the  Territory  of  Cali 
fornia,  was  one  for  no  little  consideration,  as  it  seemed  some 
what  like  being  exiled  from  the  civilized  world;  and  in  those 
days  few  had  occasion  or  desire  to  visit  that  distant  land  ; 
whether  the  choice  was  a  voyage  by  sea  or  overland  the  time 
required  to  reach  Yerba  Buena,  now  San  Francisco,  was  from 
five  to  six  months.  A  few  Americans  were  residents  of  the 
country  at  that  time,  having  found  their  way  there  by  vessels 
trading  for  hides  and  on  whaling  voyages;  others  following  the 
course  of  the  setting  sun  across  the  plains,  scaling  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  the  Sierra  Nevada,  found  themselves  upon  the 
Pacific  coast,  and  becoming  infatuated  with  the  life  of  ease  and 
plenty  afforded  by  its  delightful  climate,  arid  the  opportunity  of 
securing  a  livelihood  with  little  or  no  toil,  by  engaging  in  stock- 
raising,  they  were  influenced  in  making  California  their  home. 
For  a  time  Americans  were  highly  esteemed  by  the  native  Cali- 
fornians,  and,  with  rare  exception,  received  with  the  warmest 
hospitality.  In  a  few  years,  however,  the  Mexican  officials  be 
gan  to  look  upon  the  Americans  with  jealousy  and  suspicion,  and 
to  assume  an  attitude  of  hostility,  so  serious,  indeed,  that  on  the 
i4th  day  of  June,  1846,  the  Americans  banded  themselves  to 
gether  for  self-protection  under  the  celebrated  "Bear  Flag,"  and 
had  not  the  declaration  of  war  between  the  two  countries  been 
proclaimed  at  the  time  it  was,  open  hostilities  would  soon  have 
waged  between  the  American  settlers  and  the  Mexican  forces  on 
duty  in  the  territory. 


1 1 


Early  in  the  summer  of   1846,  President   Polk  decided  upon 
sending  a  force  of  volunteers  by  sea  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  also 
Co.  F  of  the  3d  U.  S.  Artillery,  by  the  U.  S.  storeship  Lexing 
ton.     Among  the  lieutenants  of  this  company  were  the  present 
General  of  the  Army,  William  T.  Sherman,  and  General  E.  O.  C. 
Ord,  U.  S.  A.  ;  also  the  late  General  Henry  W.  Halleck,  then 
captain  in  the  engineer  corps.     General  Stephen  W.  Kearny  was 
ordered  to  proceed  overland  with  a  squadron  of  dragoons,  via 
New  Mexico.     Captain  John  C.  Fremont,  with  a  surveying  party, 
having  arrived  in  California  during  the  month  of  January,  1846, 
remained  upon  the  soil  of  Mexico  with  his  small  command,  no 
doubt  under  the  instructions  of  our  Government,  and  upon  the 
outbreak  of  hostilities  took  a  very  prominent  part.    These  move 
ments  on  the  part  of  the  army  were  for  the   purpose  of  taking 
possession  of  and  holding  California,  with  a  view  to  its  acquisi 
tion  on  the  cessation  of  difficulties  between  the  two  countries. 
Mr.  Polk  little  suspected  what  a  store  of  wealth  he  was  securing 
to   the   future   benefit  of   his  country  when  he  conceived  this 
purpose,  for  scarcely  two  years  elapsed  ere  the  discovery  of  gold 
at  Sutter's  Saw-mill  proclaimed  to  the  world  that  the  El  Dorado 
had  been  found  within  the  domain  of  our  great  Republic;  wealth 
for  centuries  laid  hidden,  had  now  been  revealed  through  the  in 
domitable  spirit  of  progress,  civilization,  and  enterprise  which 
ever  follows  the  footsteps  of  the  American  pioneers  of  the  West. 
Nearly  thirty-six  years  have  elapsed  since  President  Polk  directed 
the  organization  of  that  regiment  of  volunteers  in  the   Empire 
State  for  duty  in  California;  a  body  selected  with  great  care,  the 
intention  of  the  Government  being  that  these  volunteers,  the 
majority  of  whom  were  under  twenty-one  years  of  age,  should  be 
discharged  in  that  country  at  the  close  of  the  war,  thus  forming 
a  colony,  around  which  would  cluster  Americans  then   in  the 
country,  as  well  as  those  who  would  afterwards  find  their  way  to 
that  distant  land   in  search   of   homes.      Many  Americans  had 
already  settled  in  the   neighboring  territory  of  Oregon,  and  at 
tention  was  being  drawn  to   California,  not  simply  on  account  of 


12 


its  fine  climate,  but  in  anticipation  of  it  soon  becoming  the  prop 
erty  of  our  own  Government. 

This  regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers  was  organized  in  1846, 
under  the  direction  of  Jonathan  D.  Stevenson,  a  gentleman  whose 
subsequent  administrative  ability  proved  his  eminent  fitness  for 
the  position,  and  upon  assembling  on  Governor's  Island,  New 
York  harbor,  he  became  its  colonel.  On  the  26th  day  of  Sep 
tember,  1846,  the  regiment  sailed  for  its  destination  in  the  ships 
"Thomas  H.Perkins,"  "Susan  Drew,"  and  "Loo  Choo,"  fol 
lowed  a  few  months  later  by  the  ships  "  Brutus,"  "  Isabella,"  and 
"  Sweden,"  with  additional  men  to  fill  up  the  command.  Few  of 
those  now  residents  of  the  Empire  City  and  State  have  any  re 
collection  of  the  youthful  and  hardy  band  that  sailed  from  their 
State  to  play  so  important  a  part  in  the  organization  and  settle 
ment  of  a  then  far-off  country.  What  a  contrast  between  the 
California  of  1846  and  that  of  1882  ! — then  an  almost  unknown  and 
sparsely  settled  Mexican  territory;  now  one  of  the  constellation  of 
States,  teeming  with  populous  cities  and  enterprising,  industrious, 
law-abiding  citizens — then  it  required  180  days  to  make  the  tedious, 
tiresome  voyage  between  New  York  and  San  Francisco,  now  it  is 
performed  with  ease  and  pleasure  in  six  days  and  a  few  hours. 

The  discovery  of  gold  at  Sutter's  Mill  in  1848,  caused  the 
rapid  influx  of  thousands  upon  thousands,  by  sea  and  land,  not 
only  from  the  Atlantic  States,  but  from  all  parts  of  the  globe, 
thereby  adding  largely  to  the  population  (floating,  in  a  great 
measure)  of  California.  Towns  sprang  up  in  every  portion  of 
the  mountains  comprising  the  mining  regions,  and  thus  these 
volunteers,  destined  by  the  Government  to  be  the  nucleus  of  the 
settlement  of  this  remote  land,  were  almost  insensibly  absorbed 
by  the  masses  then  rapidly  pouring  into  the  country.  Yet  this 
body  of  early  pioneers  has  contributed  some  of  California's  most 
enterprizing  and  worthy  citizens,  and  during  the  late  civil  war 
many  of  them  proved  their  patriotic  devotion  to  their  country, 
filling  honorable  and  distinguished  positions  as  generals,  colonels, 
and  other  officers  in  the  volunteer  army. 


In  this  little  volume  are  recorded  the  names  of  all  who  were 
members  of  the  regiment  while  on  duty  in  California, — March 
6th,  1847,  to  October  26th,  1848 — showing  who  were  living  on 
the  1 5th  day  of  April,  1882,  also  those  known  to  have  deceased 
prior  to  that*  date,  with  other  matters  of  interest  pertaining  to 
the  organization  known  as  the  "  First  Regiment  of  New  York 
Volunteers,"  commanded  by  Col.  Jonathan  D.  Stevenson,  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States  during  the  Mexican  war. 

In  connection  with  the  organization  and  fitting  out  of  the 
regiment  during  the  summer  of  1846,  the  following  editorials 
from  the  New  York  Herald,  presents  the  facts  and  incidents  in 
a  clear  and  concise  shape,  and,  from  the  impartial  character  of 
that  journal,  truthfulness  may  be  relied  upon. 


From  the  Herald  of  August  j,  1846. 

Its  issue  of  August  3,  1846,  says — "  We  .yesterday  paid  a 
visit  to  Governor's  Island  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  if  the 
good  reports  given  of  the  body  of  volunteers  there,  soon 
to  embark  for  California,  were  true  ;  indeed,  we  were  agreeably 
surprised  in  finding  everything  so  different  from  what  we 
expected  in  a  number  of  men  so  lately  collected  together. 
They  are  encamped  on  the  south-western  side  of  the  island,  and 
their  new  white  tents,  pitched  with  military  supervision  presented 
a  fine  appearance.  There  are  now  on  the  ground  eight  com 
panies,  comprising  about  600  men,  which  will  be  increased  to  the 
full  regimental  number  of  770  by  the  arrival  of  two  companies 
from  the  interior  of  the  state.  In  watching  the  men  as  they 
stood  in  line  we  could  not  but  notice  the  excellent  material  com 
posing  them.  Some  companies,  indeed,  are  like  picked  men; 
strong,  able-bodied  mechanics  generally,  in  prime  of  life,  and 
already  somewhat  schooled  in  the  discipline  of  the  service.  The 
officers  of  the  regiment  are  gentlemen  of  high  abilities,  and  well 
qualified  for  their  task.  Colonel  Stevenson's  enterprising  char 
acter  is  well  known.  Lieut. -Col.  Henry  S.  Burton,  Major  James 
A.  Hardie,  Captains  Shannonj.and  Folsom,  are  all  graduates  of 
West  Point,  and  have  till  lately  held  professorships  at  that  insti 
tution.  Lieut. -Col.  Burton  is  a  talented  and  experienced  officer, 
and  Major  Hardie  is  a  gentleman  who,  though  always  using 
necessary  decision,  will  endear  himself  to  the  soldiers  by  the 


14 

kindness  of  his  disposition.  The  Adjutant  of  the  regiment, 
Lieutenant  Stevenson,  a  son  of  the  Colonel,  is  a  graduate  of  West 
Point,  and  is  every  inch  a  soldier.  The  uniform  of  the  regi 
ment  will  soon  be  completed,  designed  by  Major  Hardie,  is  very 
neat  and  serviceable;  pantaloons  of  dark,  mixed  grey,  with  scar 
let  strip  or  cord  up  the  seam  of  the  leg,  blue  coats  with  scarlet 
trimmings,  a  new  style  of  French  cap,  very  becoming;  the  first 
dress  parade  of  the  regiment  will  take  place  next  Sunday.  One 
company,  under  command  of  Captain  Seymour  G.  Steele,  is  com 
posed  entirely  of  temperance  men.  If  this  body  of  men,  under 
such  officers,  and  of  such  stamina  themselves,  do  not  create  a 
new  state  of  things  in  the  region  to  which  they  go,  we  are  much 
mistaken.  Success  attend  them." 

From  the  Herald  of  August  4,  1846. 

"  A  company  from  Steuben  county,  under  command  of  Cap 
tain  Shannon,  a  fine  looking  body  of  men,  belonging  to  the  regi 
ment  of  volunteers  on  Governor's  Island,  arrived  in  this  city 
yesterday." 

From  the  Herald  of  September  6,  1846. 

"  THE  CALIFORNIA  EXPEDITION.  ITS  OBJECT  AND  PURPOSE.  ' 
—The  preparations  and  outlay  for  this  expedition  have  been 
the  cause  of  much  noise,  speculation  and  vituperation  among 
certain  portions  of  the  community,  who  have  echoed  the  half- 
fledged  opinions  of  a  few  presses  whose  conductors  have  no  souls 
of  sympathy  with  any  movement,  however  advantageous  to  the 
country  at  large,  unless  it  yields  directly  to  the  glorification  of 
their  peculiar  party. 

"  Again  and  again  it  is  asked,  what  is  the  object  of  this  expe 
dition  ?  and  more  particularly  now,  as  the  war  is  supposed  to 
be  virtually  at  an  end,  and  the  country  to  which  it  is  destined  is 
really  in  the  possession  of  the  United  States.  Briefly  as  possible 
we  will  give  our  ideas  of  trje  objects,  intended  operations  and 
advantages  of  this  expedition. 

"  The  rich  and  beautiful  region  of  California  will  without  doubt 
come  into  formal  possession  of  the  United  States,  without  any 
further  fighting  for  it.  Far  removed  as  it  is  from  our  seat  of 
Government,  inhabited  in  a  measure  by  a  half-civilized  people, 
it  will  be  absolutely  necessary,  if  we  intend  to  hold  it,  that  mili 
tary  possession  be  taken  of  it,  and  that  a  territorial  government 
be  established  there,  and  what  is  the  class  who,  under  such  cir 
cumstances,  are  best  fitted  to  do  this  ?  Not  mere  soldiers,  whose 
only  knowledge  is  a  military  one.  Not  politicians,  who  can 
theorize  most  beautifully,  but  whose  schemes  burst  like  gas- 
bubbles  when  tried  by  the  fire  of  practice;  but  the  sound,  hardy 
mechanics  of  our  country — the  men  whose  hands  know  useful 
labor — the  artizan,  at  whose  touch  the  rough  metal  is  moulded 


into  implements  of  use — the  men  who  transform  the  material 
into  the  necessaries  and  luxuries  of  human  existence.  The  hard- 
handed,  honest  laborer,  the  farmer,  the  blacksmith,  the  tailor, 
the  shoemaker,  the  hatter,  the  carpenter,  the  mason;  these  are 
men  under  whose  auspices  a  country  rich  in  soil,  healthy  in  cli 
mate,  and  possessing  local  advantages  of  a  rare  nature,  will  grow 
up  and  flourish.  Precisely  of  trys  class  are  the  men  whom  our 
Government  are  about  sending  to  California.  Nearly  every  man 
in  the  regiment  is  a  mechanic,  and  may  carry  his  implements  of 
trade  with  him.  Should  the  regiment  be  disbanded  immedi 
ately  upon  its  arrival,  it  contains  within  itself  the  elements  of 
prosperity,  wealth  and  greatness.  A  great  harmony  of  feeling 
exists  between  both  officers  and  men,  and  a  fortnight  more  will 
probably  find  these  pioneers  in  the  cause  of  the  advancement  of 
human  freedom,  civilization  and  prosperity,  on  their  way  to  the 
land  of  their  hopes  and  future  prospects.  Arrived  there,  they 
will  cause  the  ' wilderness  to  bud  and  blossom  as  the  rose  tree,'  and 
plant  the  standard  of  the  American  Government  and  enterprise 
upon  the  soil  of  California." 

From  the  Herald  of  September  14,  1846. 

4<  The  troops  comprising  the  expedition  for  the  conquest, 
settlement,  or  annexation  of  California,  will,  in  a  few  days,  em 
bark  for  their  destination;  and  in  spite  of  all  the  difficulties  and 
opposition  attending  their  progress  from  the  commencement, 
they  will  sail,  admirably  adapted  for  the  purposes  intended  by 
the  Government  to  be  effected.  If  their  path  in  a  foreign  country 
is  to  be  cut  by  the  sword,  strong  minds  guide  and  strong  arms 
carry  the  weapons  with  which  to  overcome  all  obstacles.  If  they 
are  to  settle  down  quietly  in  the  posssession  of  the  soil,  there 
are  hands  used  to  toil,  and  implements  of  husbandry  and  me 
chanism  are  ready  to  be  devoted  to  the  improvement  of  the 
ground  they  occupy.  In  either  case,  whether  their  cause  is  to 
be  one  of  conquest  and  just  retaliation  or  of  peaceful  occupa 
tion,  the  expedition  is  composed  of  material  well  provided  with 
men  and  means,  and  one  that  will  do  credit  to  the  State  which 
is  honored  in  the  selection  of  her  sons  for  the  first  body  of  troops 
sailing  from  the  United  States  to  a  foreign  land. 

"Much  has  been  said,  and  much  unjustly,  relative  to  the  or 
ganization  of  the  regiment,  and  many  have  been  the  sneering  re 
marks  thrown  out,  predicting  that  a  corporal's  guard  would  be 
all  remaining,  by  the  time  that  the  day  appointed  for  embarka 
tion  came  round.  The  present  actual  condition  and  force  of  the 
regiment  is  the  best  answer  to  all  such  aspersions.  Ten  com 
panies,  the  full  complement  of  the  force,  show  a  muster  roll  of 
over  700  men,  being  as  many  as  are  allowed  to  enlist ;  a  band  of 
excellent  musicians  is  organized;  the  ships  to  convey  the  troops 
to  their  destination  are  chartered,  prepared,  and  ready  for  sea; 
a  powerful  armament  of  cannon,  guns,  mortars,  and,  in  fact,  of 


i6 

every  thing  necessary  for  either  a  regiment  of  dragoons,  artillery, 
or  infantry  has  been  furnished;  clothes,  provisions,  and  necessary 
equipments  of  every  sort  have  been  provided.  The  men  them 
selves  are  contented  and  anxious  to  start ;  the  officers  generally 
are  men  of  military  knowledge  and  experience — some  of  them, 
and  indeed  all  of  the  field  officers,  with  the  exception  of  the 
colonel,  have  held  situations  a*  professors  at  West  Point,  which 
is  the  best  evidence  of  their  fitness  for  the  duties  assigned  them; 
and  now  that  this  whole  body  of  American  citizens,  mechanics, 
and  farmers,  commanded  by  able  men,  are  about  to  go  from 
among  us,  it  is  wrong  that  any  of  the  press  of  the  State  which 
calls  them  her  own,  should  endeavor  to  mar  the  good  results  and 
good  feeling  to  be  derived  from  their  effects,  on  account  of 
political  or  personal  prejudice  against  one  or  more  of  the 
officers. 

"  Col.  Stevenson,  who  commands  the  expedition,  has  a  most 
admirable  opportunity  of  displaying  his  perseverance  and  fitness 
of  character  to  enter  upon  a  bold  enterprise,  from  the  commence 
ment  of  the  organization  of  the  regiment  up  to  the  present  time; 
probably  there  are  but  few  men  in  the  country  who  could  design 
and  carry  through  a  project  so  complicated,  and  in  as  successful 
a  manner  as  he  has  done.  Attacked  on  every  side  by  political 
enemies,  or  disappointed  for  an  approach  to  the  rank  which  he 
holds;  retarded  by  the  non-action  of  the  Governor  of  this  State, 
who  seems,  for  some  private  reasons,  to  have  granted  unwillingly 
and  but  by  degrees,  the  aid  which  his  station  enabled  him  to 
afford;  encumbered  with  the  supervision  and  necessary  discipline 
of  700  or  800  men  unused  to  restraint  of  any  kind,  he  has  dis 
played  an  energy  and  boldness  which  qualify  him  in  a  super- 
eminent  degree  for  a  commander  of  a  body  of  troops,  which  de 
parts  upon  a  business  requiring  the  utmost  acumen  and  per 
severance.  To  Colonel  Stevenson,  and  to  his  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
Major,  and  Adjutant,  the  whole  credit  is  due  for  carrying  to  a 
prosperous  crisis  an  expedition  fraught  with  interest  to  every 
American  citizen. 

"  We  say  nothing  of  the  ultimate  results  to  be  effected  from 
this  expedition.  The  United  States  Government  is  fully  aware 
of  their  importance,  judging  from  the  liberal  manner  in  which  all 
necessary  outfits  have  been  granted,  and  we  can  but  wish  them 
that  success  which  seems  almost  certain  to  arise  from  the 
elements  composing  their  power.  We  have  perfect  confidence  in 
the  judgment  and  skill  of  the  superior  officers;  and  as  for  the 
men,  they  are,  and  all  must  have,  too  much  at  heart  the  honor 
of  their  country  ever  to  disgrace  her  flag.  The  fifteen  or  twenty 
of  them  that  took  advantage  of  the  baby  act  and  left  the  regi 
ment,  could  well  be  spared — their  places  were  filled  by  better 
men,  and  at  a  future  day  we  hope  that  the  expedition  which  is 
soon  to  sail,  will,  by  their  deeds  of  honor,  acquire  a  name  which 
no  one  would  be  unwilling  to  have  bestowed  upon  himself." 


From  the  Herald  of  September  29,  1846. 

REFERRING  TO  THOSE  WHO  HAD  BEEN  LEFT  BEHIND  BY  THE 
SHIPS,    the    issue    of    September     29,    1846,    says — "According 
to  notice,  a  meeting  was  held   yesterday,  in  the  Trophy  Room 
connected  with  the  City  Armory,  of  those  who  were  left  behind 
attached  to  the   California  regiment.       Captain   Nelson  Taylor, 
of  Co.   E,   was  confined   to    his    b'ed    by    sickness.       Lieutenant 
Geo.   F.  Penrose,  of  Co.  A,   presided,  and  Lieutenant  Trios.  L. 
Vermule    acted     as     secretary.       After     some     remarks     from 
the   secretary,  he  read  a   letter  from  Colonel  Bankhead,  who,  as 
soon  as  he  heard  of  the  situation  of  those  who  were  prevented 
sailing,   immediately  offered    to  supply  them  with   rations  and 
quarters  on   the  Island   till   he   could  hear  from  the   Adjutant- 
General  at  Washington;  a  letter  was  also  read  from  the  daughter- 
in-law  of  Secretary  (War)    Marcy,  and   wife  of  the  commissary 
of  the  regiment,  containing  information  of  a  cheering  character. 
The   secretary  stated   that  those  who  wished   to   follow  the  for 
tunes   of    their  companions    in    arms   to    California  would    un 
doubtedly  have  an  opportunity  of  shortly  joining  them,  as  a  fast 
vessel  would  undoubtedly  be  dispatched  which  would  overtake 
the  convoy  at   Rio  Janeiro.     A  series   of  resolutions  were  then 
read  and   passed   unanimously.     The  purport  of  them  declared 
their  own  regret  and  distress  at  being  left  behind.     That  they 
wished  to  join  the   regiment  as  soon  as  possible;  that  they  re 
turned  their  thanks  to  Col.  Bankhead,  and  would  immediately 
proceed  to  the  Island  ;  that  they  had  been  legally  enlisted,  and, 
detesting  the  name  of  deserter,  would  serve   their  country  even 
as  they  had  sworn  to  do.     Thereupon  the  whole  body,  consist 
ing  of  two  lieutenants,  four  sergeants,  and  about  thirty  privates, 
took  up  their  line  of  march  to  the  Battery.     The  whole  affair  was 
an  excellent  comment  on  those  who  through  the  columns  of  the 
press  have  stated  that  so  many  were  dissatisfied  and  would  desert 
the  first  opportunity.     These  men,  one  antl  all,  were  anxious  by 
any  means   or  in  any  way  to   place  themselves  under  the  com 
mand  of  Col.  Stevenson,  in  whom  their  confidence  has  never  been 
impaired." 


After  remaining  upon  Governor's  Island  some  six  weeks,  the 
.little  band  of  stragglers  embarked  on  board  the  ship  '  Brutus,' 
Captain  Adams,  which  vessel  had  been  chartered  by  the  Govern 
ment  for  that  purpose,  as  also  to  convey  a  cargo  of  stores  to  Cali 
fornia  for  the  use  of  the  command,  and  on  the  i3th  of  November 
sailed  from  the  port  of  New  York  for  their  destination. 


i8 

From  the  Herald  of  November  13,  1846. 

"  The  ship  which  was  to  have  sailed  yesterday  for  the  Pacific 
with  Government  stores,  etc.,  and  having  on  board  those  of  Col. 
Stevenson's  California  Regiment  who  were  left  behind  on  the 
departure  of  the  main  body  in  September  last  will  sail  this  day. 

"  We  have  received  the  following  card,  with  a  request  for  its 
publication,  which  we  comply  with,  especially  as  it  evinces  a 
proper  feeling  for  a  most  gallant  officer: 

"  *  SHIP  BRUTUS — NEW  YORK  HARBOR, 

"  '  November  12,  1846. 

u  '  The  undersigned,  a  committee  on  behalf  of  the  detach 
ment  of  the  California  Regiment,  who  sail  this  day  for  their 
destination,  (with  the  approbation  of  their  officer,)  would  seize 
the  only  opportunity  that  occurs  of  tendering  to  Col.  Bankhead, 
Commanding  at  Governor's  Island,  the  grateful  acknowledge 
ments,  for  the  kind  treatment  received  by  them  since  the  de 
parture  of  the  expedition. 

"  '  The  undersigned  on  behalf  of  their  comrades, while  express 
ing  their  gratitude,  indulge  the  hope  that  Col.  Bankhead  may 
long  enjoy  health,  and  the  good  will  of  the  citizens  of  New  York. 

1  JAMES  QUEEN,  ist  Sergt.,  Co.  F. 
'  AB'M  VAN  RIPER,  ist  Sergt.  Co.  -E. 
'  J.  S.  BALDWIN,  ist  Corp.,        "    I. 
1  JOHN  ROSE,  "  "    G. 

1  TYNMAN  UPSON,  Private,         "    G. 
'  J.  E.  NUTTMAN,       "  "    B.' 

"  This  we  believe  is  the  conclusion  of  the  after  piece,  follow 
ing  the  great  drama  of  the  formation  and  sailing  of  the  California 
Expedition,  as  far  as  this  port  is  concerned.  When  we  next 
hear  from  them,  may  it  be  from  the  soil  to  which  they  are  des 
tined,  and  of  conduct,  whether  as  citizens  or  soldiers,  creditable 
to  the  city  from  which  they  went  forth." 


IN  the  Spring  of  1847,  Captain  James  M.  Turner,  of  Co.  B, 
who  sailed  in  the  ship  "  Thomas  H.  -Perkins,"  at  the  time  the  ex 
pedition  took  its  departure,  having  left  the  vessel  upon  its  arrival 
at  Rio  Janeiro,  returned  to  New  York  City,  and  upon  the  author 
ity  of  the  War  Department  commenced  the  enlistment  of  a  de- 
teichment  of  two  hundred  men  as  recruits  for  the  regiment,  and 
which  men,  it  was  announced,  woulcj,  proceed  overland  to  Cali 
fornia,  but  it  was  subsequently  determined  that  they  also  should 
proceed  to  California  by  the  same  route  as  the  expedition.  The 


19 

detachment  was  stationed  at  Fort  Hamilton,  opposite  the  Nar 
rows  of  New  York  Harbor,  and  on  the  i6th  day  of  August,  1847, 
one  hundred  of  the  man  embarked  for  Philadelphia,  under  the 
command  of  Lieut.  Thomas  J.  Roach,  accompanied  by  Lieut. 
John  S.  Norris,  and  upon  arrival  at  Philadelphia,  the  ship 
"  Isabella "  (which  was  ready  for  sea,  and  only  awaited  the 
arrival  of  the  detachment),  received  the  men  on  board,  and  on 
the  following  day  sailed  down  the  Delaware  on  her  long  voyage. 

The  second  detatchment  of  one  hundred  men,  under  com 
mand  of  Lieut.  Thomas  E.  Ketchum,  sailed  from  New  York 
some  weeks  after  the  departure  of  the  "  Isabella,"  on  board  the 
ship  "  Sweden."  These  two  vessels  reached  California  in 
February,  1848. 

This  new  accession  filled  up  the  regiment  to  nearly  900  men; 
Companies  E  and  G  received  a  portion  of  the  recruits,  but  the 
greater  portion  upon  their  arrival  in  Alta-California  were  sent  to 
Lower  California,  and  assigned  to  Companies  A,  B  and  D. 

In  the  month  of  March,  1847,  the  transports  "Thomas  H. 
Perkins,"  "  Susan  Drew,"  and  "  Loo  Choo,"  arrived  at  San  Fran 
cisco,  and  the  following  month  the  "  Brutus  "  put  in  an  appear 
ance,  and  in  the  month  of  February,  1848,  the  "  Isabella  "  and 
"  Sweden  "  arrived  at  Monterey.  The  average  voyage  of  these 
vessels  was  165  days,  and  with  one  exception,  the  vessels 
touched  at  South  American  ports,  thereby  relieving  the  mono 
tony  of  the  long  and  tedious  voyage.  The  health  of  the  men  re 
mained  good  on  those  vessels  that  visited  ports  on  the  eastern 
and  western  coasts  of  South  America,  as  they  were  amply  pro 
visioned  with  fresh  supplies  of  vegetables  in  each  port,  and  the 
evil  effects  of  the  salt  provisions  furnished  at  sea  was  in  a  meas 
ure  counteracted,  and  even  the  health  of  those  who  were  aboard 
the  "  Brutus,"  which  vessel  made  no  port  between  New  York  and 
San  Francisco,  remained  good  until  within  a  few  weeks  of  the 
termination  of  the  voyage, 

At  the  date  of  the  arrival  of  the  regiment  the  whole  of  Upper 
California  was  in  the  possession  of  the  United  States  authorities, 


20 


naval  and  military  combined,  and  among  the  officers  of 
the  army  were  the  present  General  W.  T.  Sherman,  Major- 
General  Edw.  O.  C.  Ord,  as  also  the  late  Major-General 
H.  W.  Halleck,  Lieutenants  in  the  regular  service.  Upon 
the  arrival  of  the  regiment  it  was  assigned  by  companies 
to  various  portions  of  the  country  for  the  purpose  of 
holding  possession  and  maintaining  order  under  military 
rule. 

In  the  Spring  of  1848  gold  was  discovered  by  Marshal, 
at  Sutter's  Mill,  (Coloma),  and  although  the  temptation  of 
earning  hundreds  of  dollars  per  day  in  the  mines  instead  of 
the  twenty-three  cents  received  from  the  Government  was 
almost  irresistible,  still,  to  the  honor  of  the  command,  few 
were  the  number  who  deserted,  preferring  an  Honorable  Dis- 
c/iarge  and  EMPTY  POCKETS  to  the  golden  nuggets  and  a  bran  Jen 
name. 

The  Fall  of  that  year  witnessed  the  disbandment  of  the  or 
ganization,  the  last  companies  discharged  were  A,  B  and  D,  at 
Monterey,  on  the  24th  of  October,  by  Captain  Henry  S.  Burton, 
3d  U.  S.  Artillery,  (late  Lieut. -Col.  of  the  regiment),  and  Major 
Henry  Hill,  Paymaster  U.  S.  Army,  having  liquidated  the  claims 
of  both  officers  and  privates,  preparations  were  immediately  in 
augurated  for  the  departure  to  the  mines.  Oxen,  carts  of  the 
Mexican  pattern,  horses,  mules,  saddles,  etc.,  were  in  great  de 
mand,  and  all  in  the  market  found  ready  purchasers  at  liberal 
prices.  The  distance  to  the  mines  at  that  date  (Mokelumne 
Hill)  was  about  250  miles,  and  it  was  necessary  to  transport 
the  provisions  required  for  the  winter,  as  the  prospect  of 
procuring  them  at  the  mines  were  uncertain,  and  even  if 
they  were  to  be  purchased,  the  amount  required  to  provide 
a  person  with  subsistence  until  they  were  enabled  to  perfect 
their  plans  for  digging  would  soon  deplete  their  already  limited 
purses. 

The  writer  passed  the  winter  of  1-848-9  on  the   Mokelumne 
river,  about  one  mile  below  the  hill,  and  the  subjoined  were  some 


21 


of  the  prices  demanded  and  paid  for  clothing,  provisions,  &c.,  in 
that  locality: 

Flour,  per  Ib $i  oo         Blankets,  per  pair $  50  oo 

Sugar      "       2  oo         Flannel  shirts 25  oo 

Coffee      "       3  oo  Common  boots,  per  pair    100  oo 

Pepper  in  grain  per  Ib 5  oo  "         shoes,        "            32  oo 

Salt  pork                 "     5  oo  Mexican  sera  pas  (shawls)  100  oo 

Salt  "     i  oo 

And  a  mixture,  denominated  brandy,  whiskey,  or  gin,  of  the 
vilest  quality,  was  retailed  at  $2  per  drjnk,  or  $20  per  bottle. 
Canned  oysters  (one  pound),  $16.  The  yield  of  gold  being 
liberal,  these  prices  were  cheerfully  paid  by  the  dwellers  in  the 
mountains. 

As  incredible  as  the  above  prices  may  appear  they  are  never 
theless  strictly  true. 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  California  opened  up  a  field  of 
labor  and  profit  which  amply  repaid  the  volunteers  for  their 
long  separation  from  friends  and  home  in  that  then  far-off 
distant  land,  yet  'tis  sad  to  contemplate  how  few  of  those  ad 
venturous  youths  and  brave  pioneers  benefited  themselves  as 
they  had  the  opportunity  offered.  A  few  are  at  this  day  (1882) 
wealthy,  but  the  majority  of  the  survivors  are  little  more  than 
earning  a  livelihood,  and  there  are,  no  doubt,  among  them  some 
who  are  in  destitute  circumstances,  but  the  greater  part  of  the 
men  who  were  discharged  in  1848  have  ceased  to  exist,  except  in 
the  memory  of  their  old  comrades  and  others  who  in  California's 
early  days  were  numbered  among  her  pioneers. 

At  the  present  date  the  old  organization  has  nearly  passed 
from  memory  except  as  one  of  its  former  members  is  borne  to 
the  grave,  and  then  his  name  is  mentioned,  and  on  the  morrow 
forgotten,  but  let  us  hope  that  Caifornia's  early  pioneers,  those 
men  and  women  who  wended  their  way  over  the  rugged 
mountains  or  the  trackless  ocean  ere  the  alluring  temptation 
of  gold  was  presented,  may  ever  live  in  the  history  of  the  Golden 
State. 


22 


(Dtftccrs. 

Surbibor  £lpril  I51fj,  ISS2. 


*Col.  JONATHAN  D.  STEVENSON        San  Francisco. 

[ '.  S.  Shipping  Commissioner  at  S,  F.  since  iSjs. 


Lieut.  Col.  HENRY  S.  BURTON      : .  At  Fort  Adams,  R.  I.,  April  4th,  '69. 

Major  General  of  Vols.  late  war. 

Major  JAMES  A.  HARDIE      .  .          .  .     Washington,  D.  C.,  Dec,  14th,  '76. 

/>V;V.   Genera!  of  I'ols.  late  war. 


Staff  Officers. 

.Surbibors,  3pril  I51i),  ISS2. 


*Surgeon  ALEXANDER  PERRY    ........     New  York  City. 

Ass't  Surg.  ROBERT  MURRAY  ........       U.  S.  Army. 

"       WILLIAM  C.  PARKER  .  .          .  .  Oakland,  Cal. 

('apt.  WILLIAM  G.  MARCY,  Commissary    .  .          .  .  '        .  .     Alameda,  Cal. 

Secretary  State  Constitiitional  Convention  at  Monterey,  1849. 

*Lieut.  J.  C.  BONNYCASTLE,  Adjutant  .  .          .  .          Louisville,  Ky. 

Officer  of  the  Regular  A  rmy  from  Oct.  1848  to  May  iSbi. 


Capt.  JOSEPH  L.  FOLSOM,  A.  Q.  M.     At  San  Jose  Mission,  July  15th,  '55. 


Non-QToinmissioucb    Staff. 


Sergt.  -Major  ALEX.  C.  McDONALD      ..     Near  doverdale,  April  5th,  '80. 
Q.  M.  Sergt.  STEPHEN  HARRIS     .  .         .  .  Sep.  26th,  '46  to  Aug,  12th,  '47. 

Date  and  Place  unknoivn. 

Q.  M.  Sergt.  GEORGE  G.  BELT      .  .         .  .     Aug.  12th,  '47  to  July  1st,  '48. 

Died  at  Stockton  in  iSbq. 

Q.  M.  Sergt.  JAMES  C.  LOW     .  .         .  .          July  1st,  '48  to  Oct.  26th,  '48. 

Died  at  San  Rafael  in  18  -  . 


23 

Beg  intent  a  I    Sanb. 

(Enknofcm. 


COHN,  MORITZ 
DUNITCH,  ERNEST  F. 
ECKER,  JOHN 
ESCHERICK,  CARL 
FETZCHOROR,  CHRISTIAN 
FAUFTER,  JOHANN 
HUCHAS,  HEINRICH 
HAUFF,    ERNEST 


HEHN,  HENRY 
KRAUSS,  CHARLES 
KLEINBROTH,  JOHN 
MARX,  ERNEST 
MOSSIA,  ANTONIO 
ROANE,  JOHN 
WEHLER,  EDWARD 
YOUNG,  CHARLES  D. 


*Drum  Major  GEORGE  BATCHELOR 

Cliief  Musician,  JOSEPH  VEVIS  . .     Sept.  26tli,  '46  to  Dec.  20th,  '47. 

FREDERIC  GRAMBIS      ..     Dec.  23d, '47  to  Oct.  26th, '48. 

Date  and  Place  of  Death,  of  above  three  unknown. 

Musican  ANTON  ROSENTIEL          . .         At  San  Francisco,  April  4th,  '55. 
JOHN    WHALEN  ..         ..       At  Los  Angeles,  Dec.  7th,  '53. 


Sutlers1    Department. 

SSurfubor,  Spril  I5tf),  I8S2. 


*J  A  MES  C.  L.  WADS  WORTH,  clerk        ......         San  Francisco. 

2d  Alcalde  of  Stockton,  184$. 


SAMUEL  W.  HAIGHT,  sutler 


Co.  "<*," 

Was  recruited  by  Seymour  G.  Steele,  at  "Stoneall's  Hotel,"  on 
Fulton  Street,  near  Nassau  Street,  in  the  City  of  New  York. 
The  first  recruits  were  enrolled  on  the  evening  of  the  6th  of 
July,  1846.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  ist  of  August,  the  men 
formed  at  this  rendezvous  and  took  up  their  line  of  march  for 
the  foot  of  Whitehall  Street,  en  route  for  Governor's  Island. 
The  Battery  was  thronged  by  thousands  of  citizens  to  witness 
the  departure  of  the  men,  who  were  to  compose  the  "  California 
Expedition  "  from  the  city.  On  the  2d  of  September  the  men 
were  sworn  and  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  *"States. 
On  the  23d  of  September,  the  Company  embarked  on  board  the 
ship  "  Loo  Choo,"  which  sailed  for  California  three  days  later, 
arriving  at  San  Francisco  on  the  26th  day  of  March,  1847,  six 


24 

months  to  a  day  from  New  York.  On  the  3ist  of  March  the 
Company  embarked  on  board  the  bark  "Moscow,"  accompanied 
by  Companies  "B"  and  "  F,"  and  sailed  for  Santa  Barbara,  at 
which  place  they  landed  on  the  8th  of  April.  They  encamped 
on  the  beach  for  several  days,  before  going  to  their  barracks  in 
the  town  of  Santa  Barbara.  On  the  4th  of  July  this  Company 
and  Company  "  B "  embarked  on  board  the  U.  S.  Storeship 
"Lexington,"  and  sailed  for  La  Paz,  Lower  California,  a  port  on 
the  Gulf  of  California,  at  which  place  the  Company  landed  on 
the  2ist  of  July,  1847.  While  in  the  Lower  Country,  Companies 
"  A  "  and  "  B  "  withstood  a  siege  of  some  thirty  days  at  La  Paz 
by  the  Mexican  Forces  doing  duty  in  Lower  California,  and  upon 
the  arrival  of  the  ship  "Isabella"  with  Company  "D"  and  114 
recruits,  in  March,  1848,  the  whole  command,  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Burton,  marched  into  the  interior  and  dispersed  the 
Mexican  forces,  which  outnumbered  the  Americans  five  to  one. 
On  the  3ist  day  of  August,  1848,  the  Company  embarked  on 
board  the  U.  S.  Ship  of  the  Line,  "Ohio,"  and  sailed  September 
ist  for  Monterey,  stopping  at  San  Jose,  del  Cabo,  near  Cape  San 
Lucas  for  Company  "  D,"  and  on  the  i4th  of  October  following- 
arrived  in  Monterey,  Upper  California. 

Comrade  William  H.  Rogers  of  Company  "A,"  under  date  of 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  December  6th,  1881,  in  writing  his  experiences 
while  in  the  Army,  says  : 

"  After  a  pleasant  sail  down  the  Coast,  in  the  Storeship 
"  Lexington,"  in  the  month  of  July,  1847,  we  rounded  the  Needle 
Rocks,  off  Cape  St.  Lucas,  passed  San  Jose,  and  were  soon 
coasting  up  the  Gulf  of  California,  and  on  July  2ist  entered  the 
Harbor  of  La  Paz,  and  came  to  anchor  two  miles  off  shore. 
Towards  sunset  we  commenced  to  land  in  boats.  When  within 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  of  the  shore,  we  took  to  the  water,  which 
was  about  four  feet  deep,  and  waded  ashore,  with  our  clothes, 
muskets  and  accoutrements  on  our  shoulders.  One  of  our 
number  had  his  foot  badly  cut  by  a  pearl  shell.  After  reaching 
the  beach  we  put  on  our  clothes  and  fell  into  line.  Captain 
Steele  inquired  for  the  Quartel,  and  he  either  mistook  the  answer 
or  some  wag  gave  him  the  wrong  directions,  for  in  a  short  time 
we  halted  in  front  of  the  village  grave-yard  ;  but  wre  were  soon 
righted  and  about-face  for  the  Quartel,  which  we  reached  toward 
twilight  ;  found  it  to  be  a  dilapidated  old  ruin,  full  of  dirt,  fleas 
and  vermin,  but  the  boys  soon  scattered  around  the  town,  leaving 


25 

only  the  guard  in  full  possession.  Next  morning  discovered  a 
closet  full  of  wooden  stocks  for  the  head,  arms  and  legs,  with 
iron  manacles,  chains  and  hand-cuffs.  We  soon  destroyed  these 
relics  of  barbarism  and  tyranny  by  making  a  good  bon-fire  of  the 
wooden  stocks,  and  destroying  the  manacles,  chains  and  cuffs." 


(to.     "Q!t." 

.    Surbtbors,  Xlprtl  Uttj,  1882. 

*(  apt.  SKYMOUR  G.  STEELE San  Diego. 

BARTIIROP,  EDWARD  San  Francisco. 

CAHILL,  MARTIN  Stockton. 

*CLAMP,  RICHARD Chinese  Canip. 

DENKERS,  CHARLES  W Sacramento. 

*DEAN,  GILBERT  E.  Fort  Lee,  N.  J. 

EHLERS,  AUGUST  Los  Angeles. 

HOUGHTOX,  SHERMAN  O.  (Sergt.)          . .          .  .  . .   San  Jose. 

K.v-Mayor  of  San  Jose.     Ex-Recorder  of  Santa  Clara  Co,     Ex-Member  of  Congress. 

HILL,  THOMAS  J.  San  Francisco. 

MACDONOUGH,  JOSEPH        . . San  Francisco. 

Capt.  in   General  Meagher's  Brigade,  late  war. 

*MYERS,  RUSSELL  New  York  City. 

Major  jid  Regt.  N.    1".   I'ols.,  late  ivar. 

MUNSON,  LEONARD  A Two  Rocks,  Sonoma  Co. 

NOYES,  MICHAEL  S.         Eureka,  Nevada. 

O'SI'LLIVAN,  JAMES  San  Francisco. 

E.v-Editor  "  Herald"— Sonoma,  Tonlmnne  Co. 

POST,  FREDERICK  L San  Francisco. 

Clerk  S.   F.  Post  Office,  past  2O  years. 

*PARVIN,  JOHN  B Monticello,  Minn. 

*PERRY,  MOSES  W Tucson,  Arizona. 

•ROGERS,  WILLIAM  H Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

•SCOLLAN,  JOHN Santa  Barbara. 

-S<  IIOONMAKER,  JACOB  J.  Vineland,  N.  J. 

»8  ATM)  I-;  IIS.  THEODORE  R New  York  City. 

•THOMPSON.  JAMES  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

•THOMAS,  JOHN  W San  Jose. 

•WOOLEY,  WILLIAM  Camp  Seco,  Calaveras,  Co. 

•WILLIAMS,   WILLIAM  II Nyack,  N.  V. 


to  be  3Ltbhi3. 

TAIT,  .1  AM  KS  A Was  at  Santa  Cruz,  Cal.,  1874. 

FLOOD,  JOHN                                  ..          ..  "     »  San  Francisco,     " 

WILLARD.  ISAAC        ..          .:          ..  .."     in  Mendocino  Co.,    " 

\\KLLKH.KmVARDH »     at  San  Francisco,     " 


26 


©Irtf) mahouts  Sntototan. 


Lieut.  GEORGE  F.  PENROSE 
Lieut.  CHARLES  B.  YOUNG 
ALBERGER,  JOHN 
BECKER,  JOHN 
BONCHALTZ,  THEODORE 
BURKE,  JAMES 
CHIPMAN,  WALTER  (Sergt.) 
DOLLMAN,  FREDERICK 
FOSTER-,  WM.  S. 
FENLEY,  DANIEL 
HOFFMAN,  GEORGE  W. 
HATHAWAY,  JAMES  M. 
IRWIN,  EDWARD  (Sergt.) 
HAMILTON,  JAMES 
LEWIS,  JOSEPH  B.  (Mus.) 
MORSE,  HENRY 


MURRAY,  EDWARD 
MORTON,  FREEMAN 
PEASLEY,  -NESMITH  H. 
PENNY,  MOSES  H. 
RYAN,  P.  H.  W. 
SKINNER,  JOHN 
SUTPHEN,  WILLIAM 
SCHOONMAKER,  M.  C.  (Corpl.) 
SEIDER,  GEORGE  F. 
THURSBY,  LEWIS  P.  (Corpl.) 
TAIT,  WILLIAM  G. 
TIPSON,  WILLIAM  H. 
WILSON,  JAMES 
WALSH,  JAMES 
WETTERMARK,  CHARLES  P. 
WEIRGEN,  CHRISTIAN 


Lieut.  GEORGE  F.  LEMON, 


^  From  wounds  received  in  battle  of 
I     Crampton  Gap,  Sept.  14,  1862. 

City  Assessor  of  S.  F.  in  'JY,     Lieut. -Col.  J2d  Regt.  N.  Y.  Vols.  at  date  of  death. 

BROHAN,  JOHN         At  Stockton,  -  - 1850. 

CURREN,  EDWARD At  -          —  Cal.  -  -  1860. 

CARR,  STEPHEN          At  Taylor's  Ferry,  Stanislaus  River,  Sept.  —  1849. 
DARREN,  HENRY  E.         . .    Drowned  in  Sacramento  River,  Nov.  9,  1849. 

DIXON,  JAMES  F Drowned  in  Gold  Lake,|January  30,  1880. 

HEYLAND,  JOHN  At  Stockton,  Nov.  27,  1852. 

HART,  HENRY  L At  La  Paz,  L.  C.,  Aug.  20,  1848. 

LUSKEY,  JOSEPH  Date  and  place  unknown. 

McDONOUGH,  NICHOLAS      . .         . .      Accidently  killed  at  La  Paz,  L.  C. 
MURRAY.  WALTER          . .         . .        At  San  Luis  Obispo,  October  6,  1875 

Ex-Member  of  the  Cal.  Legislature,  and  ivas  the  District  Judge  of  First  Judicial 
District  at  date  of  death, 

Date  and  place  unknown. 

At  Montery,  Nov.,  1848. 

La  Paz,  L.  C.,  August  18,  1848. 
Los  Angeles,  July  31,  1879. 
Killed  by  Mokelumne  Indians,  Dec.  1848. 
Date  and  place  unknown. 
Drowned  in  San  Joaquiii  River,  1849. 

San  Francisco, ,  1849. 

. .    Date  and  place  unknown. 


McGILL,  PATRICK 
POWELLS,  WILLIAM  E. 
SWORDS,  ALLEN  J.     . . 
THOMPSON,  PETER 
TALMADGE,  ABIJAH  D. 
VELSOR,  STEPHEN     . . 
WHITLOCK,  MERVIN  R. 
WHITLOCK,  JACOB  H. 
HUXLEY,  J.  MEAD 


Officer  in  the  Army  during  the  late  War,  rank  unknown. 


TRANSFERRED   FROM   CO.   A. 

ADAMS,  JAMES  H 

GRAHAM,  GEORGE 

MERRILL,  JOHN  H 

SULLIVAN,  CORNELIUS 


To  Co-  G. 
F. 
K. 


OTo.  "8.11 

This  Company  was  recruited  by  James  M.  Turner,  at 
Harmony  Hall,  No.  17  Centre  Street,  New  York.  On  the 
morning  of  the  ist  of  .August  the  men  assembled  at  this  place 
and  proceeded  to  the  foot  of  Whitehall  Street,  en  route  to 
Governor's  Island.  When  the  regiment  embarked  in  September 
for  California,  this  Company  was  assigned  to  the  ship  "  Thomas 
H.  Perkins,"  in  which  ship  they  were  conveyed  to  California, 
arriving  at  San  Francisco  on  the  6th  of  March,  1847.  After  the 
arrival  of  the  Company  in  California,  its  history  is  coincident 
with  that  of  Company  "A,"  given  on  another  page. 

Upon  the  departure  of  Captain  Turner  for  New  York,  from 
Rio  de  Janeiro,  the  command  devolved  upon  Lieutenant  Henry 
C.  Matsell,  which  he  retained  until  the  discharge  of  the  Company 
at  Monterey,  on  the  24th  of  October,  1848. 

Whije  the  Company  was  stationed  at  La  Paz,  Lieutenant 
Thomas  E.  Ketchum  (who  came  out  in  command  of  the  recruits 
on  the  "Sweden"),  reported  for  duty,  and  a  part  of  the  recruits 
by  the  "Isabella"  were  assigned  to  this  Company  to  fill  up  its 
ranks.  Lieutenant  Ketchum  and  the  recruits  arrived  at  La  Paz 
on  the  1 5th  of  March,  1848,  by  the  ship  "  Isabella." 


OTo.  "33." 

Surbibors,  Xlpril  Uti),  1882, 
*Lieut.  THOMAS  E.  KETCHUM      .  .          . .          Stockton. 

Captain  in  the  jd  Regiment  California  I'olunteers,  late  war,  noiv  Brig.-Gencral 
National  Guard,  State  of  California. 

AMES,  JOSIAH  P.  ..          ..         Half  Moon  Bay,  San  Mateo  Co. 

Ex-Member  of  Californian  Legislature ',  now  M'ardcr  of  the  Cat.  State  Prison. 

BADER,  CHRISTOPHER  . .          .  .          .  .          .  .      Cherokee  Flat,  Butte  Co. 

*CATTS,  SAMUEL  A Stockton. 

< ' I '  N  XINGHAM,  ALEXANDER  S Fresno  County. 

DRYER,  JOHN   . .          Santa  Cruz,  Cal. 

*FARLEY,  GEORGE  The  Dalles,  Oregon. 

FARLEY,  THOMAS  P.  Portland,  Oregon. 

GALLAGHER,  JOHN         St.  Helena,  Cal. 

GREEN,  ALFRED  A.    .  .  ....        San  Francisco. 

Ex-Member  Californian  Legislature,  now  Attorney-at-Lmv  at  S.  F. 

*HEINRICH,  CHARLES  '  .  ...          ...     Sacramento. 

Merchant  fast  25  years  at  Sacramento. 

*HORNDELL,  JOSEPH          St.  Louis,  Mo. 

LYNCH,  PATRICK  .  .  San  Francisco. 


28 


•MOORE,  ANDREW  J.  .  .  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Member  of  the  jsnd  Regiment,  Penn.  JW.y.,  late  war. 

OSTWALDT,  AUGUST Sacramento. 

*PEARSALL,  SAMUEL  W Mokelumne  Hill. 

*THURSTON,  CHARLES  H .  .         ,-.         Marysville. 

*McPHERSON,  CHARLES  J.  (Mus.)          ,      New  York  City. 

*NUTTMAN,  JAMES  E ..         ..     "...  New  York  City. 

Ex-chief  Engineer  of  Fire  Dep  <.rtment  at  Stockton. 

,,  ,,  ,,  „  San  Francisco. 


£Iff)t  readouts  Slnknofon. 


Lieut.  HENRY  C.  MATSELL 
ADAMS,  WASHINGTON 
BOULANGEN,  FRANCIS 
BRADY,  JOHN  R. 
BRIGHAM,  E.  R. 
BALDWIN,  JAMES  H. 
BLECKSMITH,  LEOPOLD 
CASEY,  NEIL 
COFFIN,  WILLIAM 
CARTER,  GEORGE 
CONNELLY,  WILLIAM 
FITCH,  WORTHINGTON  L. 
GUILD,  H.  M.  (Corpl.) 
-HELMSTADLER,  JAMES 
IHRIE,  GEORGE 
LUDLOFF,  CHARLES 
LAIDLAW,  GEORGE 
MASON,  JOHN 
McAULLY,  ALEXANDER 


McGUIRE,  JOHN 

MOUNICH,  WILLIAM 

PECK,  CHAUNCEY  L.  (Corpl.) 

PARSONS,  ALONZO  P. 

PAYSON,  SAMUEL 

RICHARDSON,  CHARLES  (Sergt.) 

RITER,  HENRY 

RANDALL,  CHARLES  G. 

RYAN,  EDWARD 

STARK,  HENRY  (Corpl.) 

SMITH,  LEWIS 

SOMERS,  FREDERICK 

STONE,  HEBER 

ST.  JOHN,  AUGUSTUS  A. 

TURNER,  LOAMMI 

TINSON,  JOHN 

WEISS,  WILLIAM  (Corpl.) 

WALL,  RICHARD 


Lieut,  E.  GOULD  BUFFUM         .  .         .  .       at  Paris,  France,  Dec.  24,  1867 

Journalist  and  author;  Paris  correspondent  of  the  Neiv  York  Herald  at  date  of  death. 

CARNES,  THOMAS 
CLARK,  DANIEL  P  ..... 
CONNELLY,  MICHAEL 
CLIFFORD,  CORNELIUS 
DENNISTON,  JAMES  G.  (Sergt.) 


Drowned  in  Stockton  Slough,  1851. 
at  San  Diego,  Sept.  24,  1879. 
Date  and  place  unknown. 

.  at  San  Juan  Mission, ,  185 — . 

at  San  Francisco,  June  17,  1869. 


Ex-Member  Calif  or  nian  Legislature. 

DRENNER,  JAMES          ......     Toulimme  Co.,  August  —  ,  1871. 

FARLEY,  JOHN  G  .........  San  Francisco,  --  ,  1849. 

FARLEY  JOHN  (Son  of  John  G.)  .  .  Portland,  Oregon,  --  ,  187—. 
HIPWOOD,  THOMAS  killed  in  assault  at  San  Antonio,  L.  C.  ,  March  16,  1848. 
HARPER,  THOMAS  W.  .  .  Santa  Barbara,  June  28,  1856. 


29 


LAWSON,  JOHN 
McGHEE,  JOHN 
MAXWELL,  WILLIAM  H. 
MELVIN,  JAMES  W. 
MITCHELL,  WILLIAM  .  . 
MURPHY,  JOHN 
OGDEN,  BENJAMIN       .  . 

PECK,  CHARLES L 

PIERCE,  .CHARLES 

M'OTT,  CHARLES  <T.  (Sergt.) 


. .  Monterey, ,  1849. 

San  Francisco,  Feb.  23,  1861. 

New  York  City,  Oct.  26,  1876. 

San  Francisco,  May  18,  1874. 

Australia,  N.S.W., . 

Stockton, ,  185 — . 

at  New  York,  18 — . 

.  .  Date  and  place  unknown. 

Date  and  place  unknown. 

.  .  Date  and  place  unknown. 


Ex-Treasurer  of  San  Francisco  County. 


STAYTON,  JAMES  (Sergt.) 
SPATZ,  CONRAD  (Fifer)     ". . 
VAN  BUSSOI,  J.  V.       . . 
WHITEHOUSE,  BENJAMIN 
WHITE,  CHRISTOPHER  S. 
WEEKS,  ELBERT 


near  Calaveras  River,  Jan.  22,  1852. 

.  .  Killed  at  La  Paz,  Nov.  16,  1847. 

Date  and  place  unknown. 

Stockton, ,  185—. 

Date  and  place  unknown. 
.  .  Date  and  place  unknown. 


£ransftrrcb  from  (Do.  13. 


Bl'RCiESS.  EDWARD 
CAMPBELL,  PETER 
CLOUSSEN,  HENRY 
LANKOW,  EDWARD 
SMITH,  JAMES 
STOLTZE,  ADOLPH 
TOYE,  H.  H.  F. 
WILT,  JOHN  (Sergt.) 
YEAVIS,  JOSE 


to  Co.  G. 
"  H. 
"  O. 

Regimental  Band. 

to  Co.  F. 

..       "      F. 

"      G. 

"     F. 

"      E. 


€0.  M€." 

This  Company  was  enlisted  by  John  E.  Brackett  in  the  City 
of  New  York,  and  conveyed  to  California  in  the  ship  "  Loo 
Choo,"  arriving  at  San  Francisco  on  the  26th  of  March,  1847, 
and  took  post  at  Sonoma  in  the  early  part  of  April,  at  which 
place  it  remained  until  May,  1848,  when  the  Company  was 
ordered  to  San  Jose  near  Cape  San  Lucas,  Lower  California,  and 
had  proceeded  as  far  as  Monterey,  when  the  order  was  counter 
manded,  and  the  command  returned  to  Sonoma.  On  the  5th  of 
August,  1848,  the  Company  proceeded  to  the  Presedio,  San 
Francisco,  exchanging  posts  with  Company  "  H,"  stationed  at 
that  point.  During  the  summer  and  Fall  of  1847,  a  detatchment 
of  35  men  from  this  Company  was  stationed  at  Fort  Sacramento 
(Sutter's  Fort)  for  five  months. 


3° 

An  .old  resident  of  Sonoma,  writing  to  the  "Californian," 
at  San  Francisco — at  that  time  the  only  newspaper  published  in 
California — under  date  of  August  5th,  1848,  among  other  sub 
jects,  pays  the  following  compliment  to  this  command  : 

"  The  military  company  under  command  of  Captain  J.  E. 
Brackett  are  to-day  exchanging  posts  with  Company  "H,"  under 
command  of  Captain  Frisbie,  both  of  the  New  York  Volunteers. 
Company  "  C  "  has  been  stationed  with  us  more  than  a  year,  and 
much  praise  is  due  its  members,  not  only  for  the  military  and 
soldier-like  manner  in 'which  they  have  acquited  themselves  as  a 
corps,  but  for  their  gentlemanly  and  orderly  deportment,  individ 
ually  and  collectively.  We  regret  to  part  with  them,  and  cannot 
let  them  go  without  expressing  a  hope  that,  when  peace  shall 
have  been  declared,  their  regiment  disbanded,  and  their  country 
no  longer  needs  their  services,  they  may  have  fallen  sufficiently 
in  love  with  our  healthy  climate  and  our  beautiful  valley  to  come 
back  and  settle." 


€0.  "or." 

,  0pril  1st,  1882. 


AURWELLER,  JOHN  ..........         San  Francisco. 

*COX,  ALEXANDER  J  .......          .  .          .  .   Mendocino  City.  Cal. 

Journalist;  Founder  of  the  Sonoma  Bulletin  in  1852. 

DOTTER,  WILLIAM  C.         .  .........         San  Francisco. 

Ex-Member  Californian  Legislature. 

DOW,  JOSEPH  G.  .  .          .-.'•'     ........         Mendocino. 

HUEFNER,  WILLIAM         ..........      .San  Francisco. 

Marshal,  Society  of  California  Pioneers,  at  S.  F. 

KAMP,  HUROLD  ............          .  .  Sonoma. 

NORRIS,  DAVID  (Corpl.)      ......  Centreville,  Alameda  Co. 

RUSS,  ADOLPH  G  .............    San  Francisco. 

STORY,  GEORGE        .  ......      on  Russian  River,  near  Healdsburg. 

WASHBURN,  LYSANDER  E  .....          ......    San  Francisco. 

Captain,  3d  Regiment,  Cal.  Vols,,  late  war, 


to  tt  HLibhuj. 

Lieut.  THERON  R.,  PER  LEE  . .  . .  was  in  New  York  City  in  1880. 
AMES,  THADDEUS  M.  was  M.D.  at  Indian  Reservation,  Men.  Co.,  in  1860. 
JONES,  WILLIAM  . .  .  .  . .  was  in  Sonoma  Co.  in  1874. 


BARRET,  FRANCIS  H. 
BERTRAX1),  EMILE 
BALLARI),  JOHN 
CROSBY,  EDMUND  P.  (Sergt.) 
CAMERON,  JOHN 

Ex-Mayo  r  of  Sonoma. 

CONRAD,  HENRY 
DELEHAYE,  CHARLES 
DE  ST.  QUINTAIN,  JOSEPH 
DONEGAN,  JOHN 
DOUGHERTY,  JAMES 
ELB,  FREDERICK 
GLOSS,  JOHN 
HIGGINS,  SILAS  G. 
HOW,  OLIVER  H. 
JOHNSON,  WILLIAM  (Sergt.) 
KIESLER,  LAFAYETTE 
KLENGEL,  FRANCIS 
KKXTZBURY,  ADOLPHUS 


KROHN,  JOHN  M . 
KAPPIS,  GEORGE 
LYNCH,  FERDINAND 
MINARD,  THOMAS  A. 
MILLER,  FRANCIS 
NAGLE,  FERDINAND 
PETERSON,  FREDERICK 
PRENTICE,  CHARLES 
RUB,  GEORGE 
ROEDER,  LOUIS 
SCOTT,  WILLIAM 
SMITH,  GERARD  D. 
STRANGE,  JOHN 
TIMEANS,  CHARLES  (Mus.) 
WEAVER,  WILLIAM  J. 
WILDER,  ANTHONY 
WILLHART,  LOUIS 
ZETSCHSKY,  CHARLES 


Capt.  JOHN  E.  BRACKETT 


Date  and  place  unknown. 


Ex-Member  Californian  Legislature  1850;  Ex-Major-Gfnl.  Cal.  State  Militia. 

THO\TA«i    T     POAPTT    f  Drowned  near  Young's  Ferry,  on  Klamatli 
MAS   J.    ROACH,  § 


Ex-Deputy  Collector  Port  of  San  Francisco  ;  County  Judge  elect  of  Klamath  Co. 

at  time  of  death. 

Lieut.  CHARLES  C.  ANDERSON         .  .      at  San  Francisco,  Sept.  13,  1847. 


CUSHING,  BELA  (Carpi.)      . 
CONWAY,  JOHN  P. 
FOSTER,  BENJAMIN  F. 
GREEN,  WILLIAM  G.    .  . 
KONIG,  W.LLIAM    .. 
KINNS,  ALEXANDER    .  : 
LAYDEN,  WILLIAM 

MCCARTY,  DAVID  c. 
MCCARTY,  EDWARD 

RAND,  JOSHUA   .. 
RICHARDSON,  ARTEMUS.. 
RUMSCHOTTEL,  RICHARD 
RUSS,  J.  C.  CHRISTIAN     . . 


Sonoma,  Jan.  13,  1848. 

San  Francisco, ,  18 — . 

Portsmouth,  N.H.,  July  21,  1865. 

San  Rafael,  Aug.  1,  1871. 

Drowned  in  Sacramento  River,  June  11,  1847. 

.  .    Found  dead  near  Sonoma,  Dec.  19,  1847. 

Date  and  place  unknown. 

San  Francisco,  Sept.  9,  1868. 

Santa  Barbara,  April  5,  1852. 

Date  and  place  unknown. 

Somona,  Cal.,  July  12,  1854. 

Drowned  at  Stockton,  July  10,  1874. 

San  Francisco,  June  4,  1857. 


First  Jeweler  and  Watchmaker  established  at  S.  F. 


en    Voyage. 


Lieut.  WILLIAM  R,  TREMMELS 


off  Cape  Horn,  -  ,  1846. 


32 

QTransfcrrtii  from  (£o.  d*. 

Lieut.  GEORGE  D.  BREWERTON  .......... 

V     ROBINSON,  GEORGE  (Sergt.)      ..........  "      ti. 

MORRISON,  RODERICK  M  .............         "       K. 

WEHLER,  EDWARD        ..........  to  Regimental  Band. 

V      WADDELL,  ARCHIBALD      .  .          .  .      '    ........     to  Co.  E. 

^     YOUNG,  CHARLES  D  ...........  to  Regimental  Band. 


This  Company  was   enlicted   at   La  Fayette   Hall,   Broadway, 
opposite   Nibblo's   Garden,   New  York  City,   in   the  summer   of 
1846.     Many  of  its  members  came  from   Philadelphia,   Captain 
Henry  M.  Naglee  himself   being  a   Pennsylvania!!.      Upon  the 
embarkation  of  the  regiment  for  California,  the  Company  was 
assigned  to  the  ship  "Susan  Drew,"  which  reached  San  Francisco 
March  ipth,  1847.     On  the  ist  of  April  the  Company  embarked 
on  board  the  U.  S.  Storeship  "Lexington,"  and  on  the  30!  sailed 
for  Monterey,  reaching  that  port  on  the  4th.     While  stationed  at 
Monterey,  portions  of  the  Company  were  mounted  and  sent  upon 
several  expeditions  in  quest  of  Indian  horse-thieves  in  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley  and  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains.    These  men  tra 
veled  many  days  and  encamped  at  riights  upon  the  same  ground  in 
which  were  afterwards  found  such  rich  gold  deposits.    On  the  5th 
of  March,  1848,  the  Company  sailed  in  the  ship  "Isabella"  for  La 
Paz,  Lower  California,   arriving  there  on  the   226.  of  the  same 
month.     At  La  Paz  the  Company  was  filled  up  to  100  men,  from 
recruits  which  had  recently  arrived  by  the  ships  "  Isabella  "  and 
"Sweden."     One  week  after  their  arrival  at  La  Paz,  Lieut.  -Col. 
Burton,  with   Companies  A,-  B  and  D,  made  a  march  into  the 
interior,  had  an  engagement  with  the  Mexican  Forces  at  Todas 
Santos,  completely  dispersing  the  enemy  and  driving  them  from 
the  peninsula.      After  an  absence  of  two  weeks  the  command  re 
turned  to  La  Paz,  and,  on  the  i5th  of  April,  Co.  D  embarked  on 
board  the  U.  IS.  Storeship  "Southampton"  for  San  Jose  del  Cabo, 
and  within  three  days  relieved  the  Naval  Forces  stationed  at  that 
•  town,  which   they  continued   to.  garrison  until  the  6th  of  Sept., 
1848,  upon  which  date  the  Company  hauled   down  the  stars  and 
stripes  and  evacuated   Mexican  soil.     The  Company  embarked 
on  the  U.  S.  Ship  of  the  Line  "Ohio,"  which  conveyed  them  to 
Monterey,  Upper  California,  where  they  were  discharged.      This 
Company  was  without  doubt  the  last  command  of  American  troops 
to  leave  the  soil  of  Mexico  after  the  close  of  the  Mexican  War. 


33 
010.  "El." 

Surbibors,  3pril  I5ti),  1882. 
Capt.  HENRY  M.  NAGLEE  San  Jose. 

Krig.-General  of  I'ols.  late  ivar. 

*( 'HANDLER,  JOHN  A.  Boston,  Mass. 

*C<)RGAN,  GEORGE  A Chicago,  111. 

I'lCi'-f'rcs.  .Iss'fi.  I'ets.  of  the  Mex.  War,  Chicago. 

*CLARK,  FRANCIS  D.  New  York  City. 

Justice  of  the  Peace  San  Joaquin  County  1852,3  and  4:  Major  and  Military  Secretary, 
Department  of  North  Carolina,  under  Plan,  Edivard  Stanly,  late  ivar. 

*DEAN,  GEORGE  C Visalia. 

GKAY.  JAMKSA Salinas  City. 

Ex-Mentlier  of  Calif ornia  Legislature. 

*IIARR(.)N,  JAMESM Sentinel,  Fresno  Co, 

1 1 A  V  E  Y .  J  ( )  1 1 N  . .          West  Point,  Calaveras  Co. 

*JOHNSON,  WILLIAM  S Salinas  City.. 

E.f-County  Recorder,  Ex-County  Clerk  and  Ex-County  Treasurer  of  Monterey  Co.^ 
now  cashier  Salinas  City  Bank. 

*LIPP,  CARL Valleja. 

MOORE.  ANDRKNV  Gilroy. 

MYERS,  GEORGE Mount  Eden,  Alameda  Co. 

*NORRIS,  JACOB  W . .    Newark,  N.  J. 

NOIU  Sergeant  of  Police,  Neivark,  N.  J. 

PHILLIPS,  JOHN  B San  Francisco. 

REAUSSEAU,  CHARLES          San  Francisco. 

*ROBINS()N,  WILLIAM  D.  Monterey. 

*SIMS,  JOSEPH  Sacramento. 

TOMBS,  GEORGE  VV Modesto. 

Ex-Treasurer  of  Stanislaus  Co. 

WOODSIDE,  PRESTON  K Tucson,  Arizona. 

Ex-Clerk  Supreme  Court ,  State  of  California. 

*\VOLFE,  JOHN . .         New  York  City. 

YOUNG,  ALPHIAS        . .  San  Francisco. 


to  it 

HILL,  JOHN  E.         ...        was  at  Pendleton,  Umatilla  Co.,  Oregon,  in  1878. 
Bl'DD,  CHARLES  K.  Sonoma  County  in  1808. 


SEnknofon. 

BOSTWICK,  JAMES  C. 
BOCHON,  PROCOPI 
CLAUSEN,  WILLIAM  (Mus.) 
CASTON,  GEORGE  R. 
COHN,  PHILIP 
DELICK,  JOHN 
DARRAH,  DECATUR 


ATKINSON,  CHARLES  A. 

AMES,  EDWARD  T. 

ATHERTON,  (iEORGE  D. 

BFCKBEE,  FLAVIUS  (Corpl.) 

BARTELS,  LEWIS 

BOND,  WILLIAM 

BAR(  J  KM  A  N ,  AUGUSTUS 

3 


34 


DOOLAN,  JOHN 
ELLIS,  THOMAS  W. 
ENNIS,  JOHN 
FORBES,  HECTOR  M. 
FERMOR,  EDWARD 
GRAY,  ALONZO 
HETHERINGTON,  WILLIAM  E. 
HAYDEN,  GEORGE  W. 
HEYDENRICH,  WILLIAM 
HARRINGTON,  JOHN 
HAAG,  FREDERICK 
HACKETT,  PATRICK 
HUGHES,  JOHN 
HAGEMAN,  CHARLES  K. 
JENKINS,  WILLIAM  K. 
JAMES,  ALDEN  W. 
KUTCHBACK,  CHARLES 
KEAPNELL,  FREDERICK 
KENNEDY,  EDWARD  P. 
3L.OCKWOOD,  ISAAC 
LEICK,  CHARLES 
MARKET,  AUGUSTINE 
McCARRAN,  JOSEPH 
MULHOLLAND,  DOMINEC 
jMcCLUSKY,  PHILIP 
MILLER,  HENRY 
McINTYRE,  TERANCE 
MAGER,  ADAM 


MUNROE,  JOHN 
MORIN,  JOHN  L. 
MILLER,  JOHN 
MOFFITT,  WrILLIAM  B. 
NEWITT,  SAMUEL 
NEWMAN,  JAMES 
NEIMAN,  HENDRICK 
OGLE,  CHARLES  A. 
PATTERSON,  JOHN  A. 
POINEER,  JACOB  A. 
ROBINSON,  WILLIAM 
RILEY,  JAMES 
ROBB,  JAMES  B. 
SANFORD,  SAMUEL 
SEARLES,  GEORGE 
SCOTT,  ANDREW 
SINCLAIR,  ARCHIBALD 
SHOOTER,  CHARLES 
SCHRAELOR,  GEORGE 
SWEET,  CHARLES  C. 
SOHNS,  JOHN 
TURNER,  DAVID 
VAN  AUKEN,  PHILANDER 
WILSON,  HENRY  J.  (Sergt.) 
WILSON,  JOHN 
WALZ,  GEORGE 
WARRINGTON,  JOHN 


Lieut.  GEORGE  A.  PENDLETON  . .     San  Diego,  March  3,  1871. 

County  Clerk  of  San  Diego  Co.  at  date  of  death. 

Lieut.  HIRAM  W.  THEALL  . .          . .  Hamilton,  White  Pine,  Nevada. 

Lieut.  JOSEPH  C.  MOREHEAD  . .         . .       Date  and  place  unknown 

ASHTON,  GEORGE  HENRY  j ™^^\W^ .  *    ^    ^    J°aqUin 
ANDERSON,  FRANCIS  P San  Francisco,  Oct.  5,  1881. 


BOWERS,  JAMES  H. 
CLAPP,  CHARLES  D. 
CLARK,  FRANCIS  C. 
EDWARDS,  JOHN  S. 
FRIUND,  HENRY  J. 
HART,  JOHN 
HARLEY,   HENRY 
HILTON,  BENJAMIN 
IVEN,  ALFRED      . . 
JUDSON,  HENRY       . 


Stockton,  Cal., ,  185—. 

Sydney,  N.S.W., ,185—. 

Camp  on  Merced  River,  1853. 
Drowned  in  San  Joaquin  River,  April  4,  1854. 

Date  and  place  unknown. 

Date  and  place  unknown. 

near  Sacramento, ,  187 — . 

Monterey,  Sept.  23,  1847. 

Acapulco,  Mexico, ,1851. 

. .       Mokelumne  Hill, ,  1849. 


35 

KEHOE,  JOSEPH  H Monterey,  Oct.  18,  1848. 

LYONS,  AARON  (Sergt.) Monterey,  Oct.  2,  1865. 

E-r-Sher  iff  of  Monterey  Co. 

L  A  S  K  V.  V .  A 1  ,E X  A N  HER  B.        . .          . .  Killed  by  Indians, ,  1848. 

McKKK,  JAMKS  M Monterey,  Dec.  21,  1847. 

MOORE,  JOHN  \V Killed  by  Indians,  Mariposa,  1851. 

Mo  RAX,  JOHN  H San  Francisco,  Feb.  17,  1871. 

M( CLASKY,  WILLIAM  J San  Francisco,  Oct.  24,  1866. 

MOT'SER,  JOHN  . .         Drowned  in  San  Joaquin  River,  June  3,  1847. 

PURPY.  SA.MTKL  L..  San  Jose,  L.  C.,  June  11,  1848. 

ROACH,  WILLIAM  (Sergt.) Monterey  Co.,  Sept.  3,  1866. 

Ex-Sh  eriff  of  Monterey  Co. 

RYAN,  WILLIAM  REDMOND    . .          . .        . . .     New  Orleans, ,  1852. 

Author  of  " Personal  Recollections  in  Upper  and  Lower  California"  pitblished 
in  London,  1852. 

SI REY,  JAMES  Date  and  place  unknown. 

STCKET,  LEON San  Francisco,  Aug.  29,  1871. 

T1LEE,  DANIEL  E.      . New  York, ,  187—. 

WHEELER,  \VILLIAM  H.  H San  Jose,  L.  C.,  Aug.  12,  1848. 

(Transferred  from  (£o.  ID. 

McDONALI),  ALEXANDER  C Promoted  to  Sergeant-Major. 

GRAY,  ALONZO to  Co.  E. 

GLTBAL,  EUGENE  ..  ..  "  L 

S  KEMPT,  GEORGE  W ..  ..  "I. 

/  MITCHELL,  WILLIAM  "  B. 

RUSSELL,  WILLIAM     ....  "       G. 

MASSE,  ANTONIO to  Regimental  Band. 


010.   "«." 

This  Company  was  recruited  by  Nelson  Taylor,  Thomas  H. 
Ferris  and  William  E.  Cutrell,  who  were  upon  its  organization 
elected,  and  subsequently  commissioned,  respectively,  its  captain 
and  first  and  secgnd  lieutenants.  Ferris,  before  the  regiment 
left  New  York,  resigned,  and  Edward  Williams  was  commissioned 
in  his  stead.  Thomas  L.  Vermule  was  also  commissioned  an 
additional  second  lieutenant. 

The  men  who  formed  this  Company  were  principally  from  the 
East  side  of  New  York  City,  while  many  came  from  the  Ninth 
Ward  on  the  West  side,  headed  by  Sergeants  Van  Riper  and 
O'Neil. 

On  the  ist  of  July,  1846,  recruiting  for  the  Company  com 
menced  at  the  old  Seventh  Ward  Democratic  Head-quarters, 
then  kept  by  Dafiiel  Hughes  in  Madison  Street.  Another  office 


36 

was  also  opened  for  a  few  days  at  the  corner  of  Fulton  and 
Nassau  Streets.  On  the  ist  day  of  August  the  Company  was 
marched  to  the  regimental  rendezvous  on  Governor's  Island,  in 
New  York  Harbor,  and  a  few  days  subsequently  were  mustered 
into  the  service  by  Colonel  Bankhead. 

Upon  the  embarkation  of  the  regiment  in  September  it  was 
found  necessary  to  divide  one  of  the  Companies  into  three 
sections,  there  being  ten  companies  in  the  regiment  and  only 
three  transports,  the  honor  therefore  of  being  represented  on 
each  of  the  ships  fell  to  this  Company.  Captain  Taylor  was 
lying  sick  at  his  home  at  the  time  of  the  embarkation  of  the 
regiment  ;  he  had,  however,  arranged  to  be  carried  on  board  the 
ship  "Thomas  H.  Perkins,"  but  owing  to  the  negligence  of  the 
officer  having  the  matter  in  charge,  he  failed  to  be  notified,  and 
the  fleet  sailed,  leaving  him  in  New  York.  Captain  Taylor  was 
subsequently  assigned  to  the  command  of  about  fifty  officers  and 
privates  who  had  been  left  behind,  and  sailed  for  California 
in  the  transport  "  Brutus,"  arriving  at  San  Francisco  one  month 
later  than  the  regiment. 

This  Company  also  embarked  on  board  the  U.  S.  Storeship 
"Lexington,"  and  arrived  at  Monterey,  April  4th,  1847,  at  which 
place  they  were  stationed  until  the  5th  of  May,  when  they  again 
sailed  in  the  "Lexington"  for  San  Pedro,  and  reached  Los 
Angeles  on  the  9th,  which  post  was  made  the  Head-quarters  of 
the  regiment.  The  Company  remained  at  Los  Angeles  until  the 
1 8th  of  September,  1848,  when  it  was  mustered  out  of  the  ser 
vice.  The  good  health  of  the  Company  during  its  whole  term 
of  service  was  remarkable — not  a  member  was  lost  by  sickness 
and  but  two  from  injuries. 

Colonel  Stevenson  compliments  thus  the  soldiers  of  Cos.  E 
and  G.  He  says,  "the  two  companies  of  Los  Angeles  vrere  noted 
for  their  orderly  and  soldierly  bearing,  and  for  their  prompt  and 
faithful  discharge  of  then*  military  duties." 

OIo.  "<E." 

Surbtbors,  Bprtl.  15ti),  1882. 
*Capt.  NELSON  TAYLOR     .        South  Norwalk,  Conn. 

Ex-Member  California  Legislature;  President  of  the  First  Board  of  Trustees, 

State  Insane  Asylum,  Stockton  Cat.;  Ex-Sheriff  of  San  Joaquin  Co.; 

Brig.-GenL  of  Vols.  late  ivar. 

Lieut.  EDWARD  WILLIAMS         Oakland. 

BOYERS,  WILLIAM  (Corpl.)    .  .          .  .  .....     San  Francisco. 

BULLOCK,  EZEKIAL          ..  ..          ..  San  Francisco. 


37 


BRIGGS,  CASTOR 
*BARTLETT,  JOHN  A.        .. 
*C  AN  FIELD,  GEORGE  VV. 
GRAFF,  GEORGE  J. 
*JOHNSON,  ISAAC  C.    . . 
^LEONARD,  GEORGE  W.  M. 
*0'NEIL,  JOHN  M.  (Sergt.)     . 


. .     San  Francisco. 

( 'ambridgeport,  Mass. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

San  Francisco. 

..  .  Astdria,  Oregon. 

New  York  City. 

San  Francisco. 


Major  2nd  Cal.  Cavalry  late  war;  noiv  Officer  of  the  Customs,  S. 


*  WELSH,  JOHN  H.' 
WOHLGEMOUTH,  HENRY  J. 


New  York  City. 
San  Francisco. 


.Supposed  to  IDE  libtncj. 


LO  \V E R  Y ,  A  N  T HON  Y  W. 
SNYDER,  ELIJAH 
SOUERVOIT,  ALEXANDER 


ACKLEY,  HENRY  (Corpl.) 
BURTON,  JAMES  C.  (Mus.) 
BLAIR,  CHARLES  D. 
BAXTER,  WILLIAM 
BRUSLE,   WASHINGTON 
BROWN,  CHARLES 
BOG  ART,  HENRY 
BUCKLE,  ROBERT 
BALL,  FRANKLIN 
BARRY,  BENJAMIM 
BALDWIN,  TIMOTHY 
CALDER,  LAWSON  M.  (Corpl,) 
CAMPBELL,  JAMES  T. 
CLARK,  GEORGE 
CHICHESTER,  HENRY  T. 
DEAS,  JAMES 
DRIEHER,  JACOB 
FORBES,  ELI  B. 
FOLEY,  ALFRED 
GOLDEN,  EDWARD 
IIAMLEN.  MORTIMER  J. 
HENRY,  JAMES 
HUTCHEON,   WALTER 
HEARN,  THOMAS 
HITCHCOCK,  JOHN  C. 
H!  MPIIREY,  BENJAMIN  F. 
HALL,  JOHN 

JAMIESON,  GEORGE  WILLIAM 
KINTRING,  CHARLES  M. 
K1ERNAN,  JOHN  B. 

'KENNERSLY,  A.  J. 

LAMBERT,  JOHN  A. 
LEG  A  RE,  BURNETT 


was  at  San  Francisco  in  1878. 

Trenton,  N.  J.,  in  1875. 

Los  Angeles  in  1877. 

(JHnknoton. 
LINTON,  JAMES 
McPHERSON,  GEORGE  (Mus.) 
MORTON,  HENRY  S.  (Sergt.) 
McMANUS,  JAMES  (Sergt.) 
McGILL,  JAMES 
MITCHELL,  WILLIAM  H. 
MILLIKEN,  JOHN 
MORRISON,  LUDLAM  * 
MOORE,  JOHN  H. 
MURPHY,  THOMAS 
McGRANAGHAN,  WILLIAM  G. 
OWENS,  ALEXANDER 
OLPSTAY,  JACOB 
PERKINS,  CHARLES 
PARKER,  EDWARD 
PLUNKETT,  JAMES 
PLUMMER,  WILLIAM 
RICHARDS,  JAMES 
RAMSEY,  JOHN  W. 
ROBERTS,  SAMUEL 
SMITH,  JOHN  M. 
SWARTS,  JOHN  S. 
SNITTER,  LEWIS 
STACK,  GARRETT 
VAN  RIPER,  ABRAHAM  (Sergt.) 
VORHEES,  JOHN 
VINSON,  WILLIAM 
WINNIE,  WILLIAM 
WHITE,  MOSES 
WYLIE,  JOHN 
WADDELL,  ARCHIBALD 
WEIFENBACK,  PHILIP 
YEAMANS,  EDWARD 


38 


Lieut,  WILLIAM  E.  CUTRELL    .  .          .  .         San  Francisco,  May  28,  1868. 
Lieut,  THOMAS  L.  VERMULE          ......      San  Jose,  --  ,  18—. 

M  fin  her  (>/  'the  State  Constitutional  Convention  at  Monterey  in  1849;  Ex-Member 
of  the  California  Legislature. 

BRUSLE,  JACKSON  ......     Contra  Costa  Co.,  Feb.  14,  1854. 

BLAIR,  NICHOLAS     .........       Los  Angeles,  Sept.  26,  185,5. 

BARTLETT,  CHARLES  H  .....  San  Francisco,  May  15,  1881. 

BROCKEE,  JOSEPH          .  .          Drowned  in  Stanislaus  River,  March,  1849. 
DEY,  NATHAN  B  .........          Los  Angeles,  July  7,  1848. 

EARLE,  PETER      ..........   Sacramento,  Jan.  12,  1871. 

FORD,  PATRICK          .  .          .  .   Killed  by  Rogue  River  Indians,  --  ,  1866. 

LEG  ARE.  WILLIAM  H  ......  !          .  .    Los  Angeles,  Dec.  9,  1847. 

MARK,  LOUIS    ..........  Date  and  place  unknown. 

wc^rr  A  TV-    rpTT^Tv/r  \  a  \  Killed  by  Steamboat  Explosion  on  the  San  Joaquin 
8MAS-J     River;0ct  19>  1853< 

MEEHAN,  DENNIS         ......      Killed  at  Stockton,  Fall  of  1849. 

PARKER,  LEWIS       .  .........  Date  and  place  unknown. 

TAYLOR,  JOHN    ..........    New  York,  April  28,  1879. 

THAFFER,  ANDREW  ...       .  .          .  .        San  Francisco,  May  3,  1879. 

VAN  PELT,  JACOB         .  .          .  .          .  .  San  Francisco,  Nov.  15,  1849. 

(KransfmrlJ  from  (£o.  B£- 

GILLINGftAM,  HENRY    .  .    "     .......  .         .  .          to  Co.  I. 

McKAY,  JOHN  H.        .  .............         "      K. 

WHALEN,  JOHN  ........  to  Regimental  Band. 


OT0.    "f." 

At  the  date  of  the  embarkation  of  the  regiment  at  New  York, 
this  Company  was  assigned  to  the  ship  "  Thomas  H.  Perkins," 
and  reached  San  Francisco  on  the  6th  of  March,  1847.  On  the 
8th  of  the  following  month  the  Company  reached  Santa  Barbara 
(see  Co.  A),  at  which  place  it  did  garrison  duty  until  their 
discharge  from  the  service  on  the  8th  of  September,.  1848. 

€0.  ^-f." 

Surbibors,  .Jlpril  lotf),  1882. 
*Capt.  FRANCIS  J.  LIPPITT Washington,  D.C. 

Member  of  the  State  Constitutional  Convention  at  Monterey,  1849  ;   elected  Colonel 
ist  Reg't  California  Volunteers,  June  27,  i8bt. 

*Lieut,  HENRY  STORROW  CARNES San  Buenaventura. 

Ex-District  Judge  2d  Jud.  District,  California;  Ex-Member  Legislature,  Cat.; 
Postmaster  at  Santa  Barbara,  1870  to  1874. 

*ENGELBERG,  AUGUST  E •  •     San  Francisco. 

FLYING,  ANDREW  .  .          Santa  Barbara. 


39 


*LYXCH,  JAMES 
MILLHAUSE,  GUSTAVE 

Rrss,  AUGUST 

*RUSS,  CHARLES  C.  E.  . 
SCIILOTTIIOUER,  CARL 
SESSER,  PETER     . . 
*WHITAKER.  AMISON 


Jolon,  Monterey  C1o. 

Santa  Barbara. 

San  Francisco. 

San  Francisco. 

Rough  and  Ready. 

.  .  San  Francisco. 

Sacramento. 


LOPEZ,  THEODORE 
MILFORD,  EDMUND  N. 
WILLIS,  OTTIS  W. 


to  fit  HLibing. 


was  at  Tuolumne  Co.  in  1874. 

Bodie,  Mono  CQ.,  in  1880. 

San  Andreas  in  1874. 


Lieut.  WILLIAM  H.  WEIRICK 
CARPEXTER,  (1HARLES  R. 
COOPER,  JAMES  F. 
COE,  JOHX  J. 
DOULEVY,  JAMES 
EVANS,  RANDOLPH 
FLEETWOOD,  ROBERT 
FIELD,  JOHN 
FIELD    DANIEL 
FULLER,  WILLIAM  M. 
GALUSHA,  ELON  A. 
GRAHAM,  GEORGE 
HUGHES,  WILLIAM  (Corpl.) 
JORDAN,  PHILIP 
KING,  WILLIAM 
KONTZ,  JOHN  G. 
LEE,  JOHX  C. 
LEFORT,  GEORGE 
MULVEY,  JAMES  (Sergt.) 
McSPADDEN,  JAMES 


MCMILLAN,  CHARLES 

McCRACKEX,  WILLIAM  R. 
McLEOD,  FRAXCIS  J. 
MASOX,  ALFRED 
POWER,  EDWARD  (Corpl.) 
PULIS,  JOHN  C.  (Sergt.) 
POWER,  JOHN  A. 
RIGBY,  GEORGE  F.  (Corpl.) 
SMITH,  THEODORE 
SARGENT,  JAMES  K. 
SHURTS,  WATSON 
SMITH,  JAMES  G. 
SMITH,  HENRY  J. 
STEPHENS,  PETER 
STOLZE,  ADOLPHUS 
TROUTMAN,  JAMES  B. 
TROUTMAN,  JOHN  (Drummer) 
VIPAL,  JOHN  A. 
WINDMEYER,  RICHARD 


Lieut.  JOHN  M.  HUDDART.  . 
BATHGATE,  GEORGE    . . 
I )ELA XEY,  RICHARD  E.       .  , 
G A NXOX,  THOMAS 
GOUMLY.  MARTIN  F. 
HEFFERXAN,  CHARLES 
1 1  ASK  ELL,  JOHN  W. 
LEE,  CORNELIUS  R.  V. 

LEWIS,  JOI IX 

OAKLEY,  ROBERT 


at  Sandwich  Islands, ,  185 — . 

Date  and  place  unknown. 

at  San  Francisco,  Sept.  20,  1876. 

at  Santa  Barbara,  Dec.  30,  1855. 

Killed  by  Steam  Explosion,  April  15,  1854. 

at  San  Francisco, ,  18 — . 

at  Santa  Barbara,  April  13,  1878. 

at  Santa  Barbara,  Jan.  11,1 863. 

at  Santa  Barbara,  April  27,  1  848. 

at  Santa  Barbara,  Jan.  1,  1848. 


ROANE,  ARCHIBALD  . .      at  Georgetown,  I).  C.,  Sept!  3,  1879. 

STOCKTON,  WILLIAM  B Date  and  place  unknown. 

STOTHERS,  JOHN  E Oakland,  —4-,  187—. 

SCHRIVES,  DANIEL  B.  Date  and  place  unknown. 

TINDALL/WILLIAM  at  San  Francisco, ,  18—. 

WILT,  JOHN         ..         ..          ..          ..          ..         Date  and  place  unknown. 

QUEEN,  JAMES  (Sergt.) at  Napa,  Dec.  7,  1879. 

WEBSTER,  JOHN  H at  Stockton,  June  10,  1881. 

MAXFELD,  WILLIAM  C Date  and  place  unknown. 

9Transftrrc&  from  C-o.  Jf. 

v     Lieut.  JEREMIAH  SHERWOOD to  Co.  G. 

ECHER,  JOHN          '. .          .  .  to  Regimental  Band. 

HIP  WOOD,  THOMAS  (Sergt.)  to  Co.  B. 

v      LOW,  JAMES  C Promoted  to  Quarter-Master  Sergeant. 


010.    **  (fi>." 

This  Company  was  organized  under  the  direction  of 
Matthew  R.  Stevenson,  a  son  of  the  Colonel,  to  which  he 
was  subsequently  elected  Captain,  and  made  the  voyage  to 
San  Francisco  in  the  ship  "  Thomas  H.  Perkins."  On  the 
3d  of  April  *in  company  with  "  D,"  "E"  and  "I"  sailed 
from  Monterey  in  the  U.  S.  Storeship  "  Lexington."  In 
May  the  Company  with  Co.  "  E  "  re-embarked  in  the 
"  Lexington  "  for  San  Pedro,  taking  post  at  Los  Angeles 
(Head-quarters  of  the  regiment),  where  the  Company  remained 
until  discharged  from  the  service  on  the  i8th  of  September, 
1848. 

€0.  "©."' 

3urbibors,  Slprtl  I5tf),  1882. 
*Lieut.  JOHN  McH.  ROLLINGS  WORTH         .  .          .  .     Georgetown,  D.  C. 

Member  of  State  Constitutional  Convention  at  Monterey  in  1849. 

*Lieut.  JEREMIAH  SHERWOOD New  York  City. 

Ex-Member  of  N.   Y.  Legislature. 

*ADAMS,  JAMES  H San  Francisco. 

JANTZEN,  FREDERIC  .  .          San  Francisco. 

KLEINSHOOTH,  JOHN Germany. 

*NISBITT,  THOMAS Scott  River,  Siskiyou  Co. 

SHIRLAND,  E.  D Auburn,  Placer  Co. 

Capt.  of  Vors,  late  ivar  ;  Ex-County  Clerk  and  Recorder  of  Sacrajnento  Co. 

SCHUMAKER,  JOHN .  .  Los  Angeles. 


SHROTER,  CHARLES      .....  .  .          .  .  San  Francisco. 

PFIESTER,  ADOLIMI  ..          ..  ..  ..       San  Jose. 

Ex-Mayor  of  San  Jose,  noiu  capitalist  and  merchant. 

TIEROFF,  AUGUSTUS   .  .          .  .........    San  Francisco. 

WELLS,  THOMAS  JEFFERSON    .......  .       New  York  City. 

*WILSON,  ROBERT        ..........  .  .   Vallejo. 


to  it  lUbtncj. 

..         was  at  San  Francisco  in  1874. 

was  at  Vallejo  in  1874. 

was  in  Oregon  in  1878. 

.       ..    was  at  San  Francisco  in  1874. 

.  .         .  .        was  at  Stockton  in  1874. 


CITAQUETH,  HERMAN     .. 
COY  AN,  FREDERICK 
FALKNER,  JAMES  Y.  (Corpl.) 
FRESCHE,  FRANCIS 
STEVENS,  JOHN  H 


tOIjcrcafiouts  (Hnknofon. 


BOINGER,  FREDERIC 
BENNETT,  TITUS 
BURGEMAN,  EMILE 
CONNELL,  JOHN  (Sergt.) 
CAULTFIELD,  PATRICK 
CAULTFIELD.  DAVID 
CLARK.  JOHN 
CUMMINGS,  JAMES 
COLGAN,  JAMES  A. 
COPENGER,  CHARLES 
CORNING,  OTTO 
CUVELLIER,  EM1L 
COMSTOCK,  CORTEY 
DUNNE,  JOHN 
DOOLEY,  THOMAS 
DIDDLESON,  AUGUSTUS 
EDMONSON,  ALFRED 
EUTH,  JOHN 
EATON,  GEORGE 
FARR,  PHILIP 
FITZSIMMONS,  JAMES 
GOODWILL,  JAMES  T. 
HAN  TON.  MATTHEW  O. 
JACKSON,  GEORGE  (Sergt.) 
JACKSON,  GEORGE  (2nd) 
JOHNSON,  FREDERICK  (Corpl.) 
JONES.  JOHN 
KAUFMAN,  JULIUS 
KENNEDY.  WILLIAM  A. 
KTRTZ.  LEWIS 
LAWRENCE,  HENRY  (Mas.) 
LII'PKR.   A  l'( JUSTUS 
LELONG.  MARTIN 
LEWIS.  HENRY 


LYNCH,  JOSEPH  P.  (Corpl.) 
LINDER,  FRANCIS 
MALCOLM,  ALEXANDER  B. 
MONTRIEL,  HERMAN 
MILLER,  EDWARD 
MILLER,  VALENTINE 
MILLER,  CHARLES 
MARK.  JOSEPH 

MCDONALD,  WILLIAM 
MYERS,  JOHN 
NORTHMAN,  CHARLES 
OSBORNE,  CHARLES 

PFEIFFER,  MAX  WILLIAM 
PHILLIPS,  JAMES 
RUTH,  JOHN 
RUSSELL,  WILLIAM 
ROSE,  JOHN  M. 
REISH,  JACOB 
ROWAN,  JAMES 
ROBINSON,  GEORGE  (Sergt.) 
SWAB,  EMANUEL 
SHISLYLIND,  GUSTAFF  (Mus.) 
SHULTZE,  FREDERIC 
SILTZER,  HENRY 
SCHIMER,  EARNEST 
SAXTON,  CHARLES 
TAYLOR,  WALTER  (Sergt.) 
T 1 NK  E  R  M  A  N N,  MICHAEL 
UPSON,  TRUEMAN 
VALLELY,  JOHN 
WARREN,  JAMES 
WELLS,  WILLIAM  4 

WHEELER,  WILLIAM  M. 
WEBSTER,  CHARLES  A.  (1st) 


42 


Capt.  MATTHEW  R.  STEVENSON    .  .      'at  Sackett  Harbor,  Jan.  2,  1863. 
ANDREWS,  ALLEN  ......         at  Los  Angeles,  Dec.  9,  1847. 

BOSQUE,  THOMAS        ........  at  Los  Angeles,  Aug.  7,  1847. 

BULTICE,  VINCENT         ........     Date  and  place  unknown. 

GRIN  NELL,  CHARLES  C  .......  Date  and  place  unknown. 

HART,  JEROME      ........          .  .        at  Shasta,  Feb.  4,  1852. 

HOPPER,  WILLIAM    ........  at  Los  Angeles,  July  12,  1847. 

HAMMER,  ROBERT          .  .          .  .      at  Spanish  Bar,  American  River,  1849. 

MEHAN,  JAMES  (Sergt.)        .  .          .  .      Killed  at  Los  Angeles,  ---  ,  185—. 

OSBOURN,  WILLIAM  B.  .  .          .  .          at  Los  Angeles,  July  31,  1867. 

SULLIVAN,  JOHN       ......  at  San  Luis  Rey,  Aug.  25,  1848. 

TR  AVERS,  WILLIAM  B.  (Sergt.)          .  .          at  Los  Angeles,  Dec.  10,  18'47. 
THORNER,  FRANCOIS          ......    at  Los  Angeles,  July  31,  1848. 

TOYE,  H.  F.  H.       .  .          .  .          .  .          .  .          .  .       Date  and  place  unknown 

TITTLE,  AUGUSTUS  ......  at  San  Francisco,  Feb.  1,  1868. 

UHRBROOK,  HENRY      ..          ..          ..          ..     at  Santa  Clara,  --  ,1875. 

VANDERBECK,  JAMES       .  .          .  .  at  San  Francisco,  Sept.  23,  1849. 

WEST,  THOMAS  J  .........       Date  and  place  unknown. 

WEBSTER,  CHARLES  A.  (2nd)      .  .          .  .    at  Los  Angeles,  Aug.  17,  1847. 

WORT,  GEORGE  ........        at  San  Francisco,  April  5,  1847. 


(Eransfcmt)  from  (So.  (Gt. 

Lieut.  WILLIAM  H.  WEI  RICK         to  Co.  F. 

Lieut.  WILLIAM  H.  SMITH  I 

V  BROWN,  PHILIP .  .  .  .  "  H 

;  CARR,  STEPHEN  "  A. 

COOPER,  SAMUEL "  F. 

^  DUNITCH,  ERNEST  F to  Regimental  Band 

FETSCHOROR,  CHRISTIAN  

GRAMBIS,  FREDERICK  

HASKELL,  JOHN  W.  .  .          to  Co.  F. 

HARRIS,  STEPHEN         ..          ..          ..         Promoted  to  Qr.- Mr.  Sergeant. 

HAUFF,  ERNEST         to  Regimental  Band. 

KRAUSS,  CHARLES          

KLEINBROTH,  JOHN 

LANKOW,  EDWARD to  Co.  B. 

MURRAY,  JOHN  FRANCIS "      H. 

POWERS,  EDWARD          "      F. 

POWERS,  JOHN  ..         ..         "    *F. 

RICHARDSON,  ARTEMUS  W "       C. 

ROANE,  ARCHIBALD  "       F. 

STALL,  ALFRED . .  "        I. 

TITTLE,  GOODLIP ; -        L 

TESHNER,  CHRISTIAN  to  Regimental  Band. 


43 


OIo.    "tj.11 

This  Company  was  recruited  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  by  John  B.  Frisbie 
and  Edward  Gilbert,  who  upon  its  organization  were  elected  res 
pectively  its  captain  and  first  lieutenant.  On  the  evening  of  the 
3ist  of  July,  1846,  the  Company  left  Albany  by  steamboat, 
reaching  New  York  early  the  following  morning.  The  Company 
was  escorted  from  the  steambcat  to  the  foot  of  Whitehall  Street 
by  Captain  Cooke's  Company  of  Artillery  and  the  Albany  Wash 
ington  Riflemen  ;  the  latter  Company  fired  a  salute  upon  the 
embarkation  of  the  Company  at  the  Battery  for  Governor's  Island, 
the  rendezvous  of  the  regiment. 

Upon  the  embarkation  of  the  regiment  this  Company  was 
assigned  to  the  ship  "  Susan  Drew,"  and  arrived  at  San  Francisco 
on  the  1 9th  of  March  1847,  and  was  stationed  at  the  Presedio 
until  the  5th  of  Aug.,  1848,  when  it  exchanged  post  with  "  C  "  at 
Sonoma.  A  few  weeks  later  the  Company  returned  to  San 
Francisco,  and  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  on  the  25th  of 
August,  1848. 


€0.  "r 


.Surbtbors 


Utij,  ISS2. 


*('apt.  JOHN  B.  FRISBIE       ..........       City  of  Mexico. 

Nominated  for  Licrit.  Go^>.  with  Gen.  John  A.  Suiter  for  Governor  at  the 
first  election  for  State  Officers  in  California. 

*CORX  WELL,  GEORGE  N  ............  Xapa. 

Ex-Prefect  of  Sonoma  District;  Ex-Postmaster  of  Napa,  (8  years};  'Ex-Member 

of  the  California  L,egislature<served  several  terms;  3  years 

Supervisor,  and  b  years  Under  Sheriff,  Sonoma  Co. 


EDMONSOX,  - 
FRISBIE,  ELEAZER  (Sergt.) 
*FOLSOM,  WILLIAM  H 
*GOLDWAITE,  RICHARD  M 
GUTHRIE,  WILLIAM 
LAMPMAX,  WILLIAM  I 
*LAPPEUS,  JAMES  H 


.  .          .  .        San  Francisco. 

.  .  Vallejo. 

New  York  City. 

'..          ..     Albany,  N.Y. 

Coulterville,  Mariposa  Co. 

Republic  of  Mexico. 

Portland,  Oregon. 


Ejc-City  Marshal  of  Portland,  Oregon;  for  the  past  twelve  years  has  l-ccn 
Chief  of  Police,  same  city. 

LEE,  JAMES  R  ...............  Vallejo. 

*MERRILL,   SQUIRE  (i.  (Mas.)     ........  Washington,  D.  C. 

REID,  JOSEPH      ................        Xapa. 

*VAX  VECIITEX,   GEORGE         ..*       ..          ..        New  BrunsMck,  X.  J. 

*YATES,  JOHN  D.         .  .          .  .........      Albany,  X.  Y- 


44 


to  fcc  itbtng. 


BENJAMIN,  FORDYCE  I.  ......         was  at  Sonoma  in  1874. 

GROW,  WILLIAM  (Sergt.)     ........      was  at  Yreka  in  1878. 

Ex-Sheriff  of  Siskiyou  Co,:  Ex-Postmaster  at   Yreka. 

HUMPHREY,  GEORGE  L  .......    was  at  Coulterville  in  1874. 


AGNEW,  HUGH 
BRAUN,  PHILIP 
COUTAN,  GUSTAVUS  J. 
CARRIGAN,  THOMAS 
CAMPBELL,  PETER 
DAVIS,  BENJAMIN  B.  (Corpl.) 
GORDWELL,  JAMES  F. 
GERRINGER,  ANDREW 
HUMPHREY,  GEORGE  L. 
HARNES,  HENRY 
LATHROP,  GEORGE  W. 
LAWSON,  HENRY 


LEGGETT,  WILLIAM     . 
LEDDY,  MICHAEL 

MCCARTNEY,  BARTHOLOMEW 
'MAPLE,  JOHN 
NORTON,  MARTIN 
NEWMAN,  JOHN 

RAMSEY,  DAVID  (Corpl.) 
SHULTERS,  JOHN 
WISSELL,  FREDERICK 
WILLIE,  HENRY 
WIERZBICKIE,  F,  P. 


Lieut.  EDWARD  GILBERT     at  Oak  Grove,  near  Sacramento,  Aug.  2,  1852. 

Member  of  the  State  Constitutional  Convention  at  Monterey  in  1849:  Ex-Member 
of  Congress;  Ex-Editor  and  Publisher  of  the  "Alta  California.'1'' 

Lieut.  JOHN  S.  DAY          at  Chicago,  111.,  Oct.  14,  1851. 

BEATTIE,  BELDEN  (Corpl.)  .  .          .  .      at  San  Francisco, ,  1849. 


CRAFTS,  ALBERT  B. 
DAVIS,  DAVID  A. 
LANDERS,  WILLIAM      .  . 
MURRAY,  FRANCIS   . . 
MARTIN,  WILLIAM  H.  .  . 
O'CONNELL,  ANTHONY  F. 
PURCELL,  MATTHIAS  . 


at  San  Francisco,  May  10,  1849. 

at  San  Jose,  Dec,  18,  1848. 

at  Mission  Dolores,  S.  F.,  1850. 

.  .          .  .  Date  and  place  unknown. 

Dry  Creek,  Stanislaus  Co.,  June  23,  1874. 

.  .      San  Francisco,  Jan.  22,  1866. 

San  Francisco,  --  ,  1850. 


SCHOOLCRAFT,  HENRY  A.    (Sergt.) 


at 


ar  AcaPulc°.  Mex" 


Ex-Collector,  Port  of  Sacramento. 

SHERMAN,  HERAN  V.  S Date  and  place  unknown. 

SLADE,  WILLIAM  D Date  and  place  unknown. 

Ex-City  Marshal  of  Yreka. 

SMITH,  HENRY  .  .          .  .         Drowned  in  Feather  River, ,  1849. 

TIGHE,  JOHN  Date  and  place  unknown. 

VEEDER,  PETER  G Date  and  place  unknown. 

WINNE,  JAMES  (Sergt.) •       .  .     Date  and  place  unknown. 


45 


^Transferred  from  Compami  !0. 

FULLER,  WILLIAM  M.             to  Co.  F. 

IIAKT,  JKHOME "       G. 

IIOHX,  HENRY to  Regimental  Band. 

ROANE,  JOHN          

LOCKWOOD,  ISAAC1 to  Co.  G. 

PFEIFER,  MAX  \V ..'      ..          ..  "       G. 


^         €o.  "3." 

This  Company  was  organized  at  Bath,  Steuben  Co.,  N.  Y., 
on  the  26th  day  of  June,  1846,  and  took  its  departure  from  that 
place  on  the  ist  of  August  en  route  for  Governor's  Island,  N.  Y. 
Harbor.  The  "Farmers  Advocate"  of  Bath,  under  date  of 
August  5th,  1846,  says — "  The  Steuben  Volunteers,  under  Captain 
Shannon,  left  Bath  for  New  York  on  Saturday  morning.  We 
cannot  refrain  the  repetition  that  we  never  saw  a  finer  Company, 
all  intelligent  and  vigorous  young  men,  of  many  different  trades, 
excellent  habits,  urbane  manners  and  enterprising  spirits.  The 
mutual  farewell  echoed  the  best  wishes  and  hopes,  and  a  large 
number  of  our  citizens  volunteered  carriages  and  escort  to  cheer 
them  on  board  the  Steuben  steamer,  which  took  its  departure 
amid  the  acclamations  of  the  mass  of  people  assembled  at  the 
wharf."  On  the  26th  day  of  September  they  left  New  York  for 
California  in  the  transport  "  Susan  Drew  "  and  arrived  at  San 
Francisco,  on  the  iQth  of  March,  1847  ;  from  thence  embarked 
on  the  "  Lexington,"  in  company  with  Companies  "  D,"  "  E  " 
and  "  I,"  and  reached  Monterey  on  the  4th  of  April,  where  the 
four  companies  went  into  camp  on  the  green  in  front  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  which  in  honor  of  General  Stephen  W.  -Kearney 
(commanding  the  Military  forces  in  California),  was  called 
"Camp  Kearney."  Upon  the  departure  of  Companies  "E" 
and  "G,"  for  Los  Angeles  in  the  "Lexington"  on  the  5th  of 
May — (Company  "D"  having  been  mounted  were  sent  out 
to  hunt  for  Indian  horse  thieves  on  the  Tulare  Plains), 
Company  "  I  "  took  post  at  the  barracks  in  the  town.  On  the 

28th  of  December  the  Company  embarked  on  board  the 

and  sailed  for  San  Deigo,  which    place    they   continued 

to  garrison  until  their  discharge  from  the  service  on  the    25th   of 
September,   1848. 


46 

€0.   "3.11 

Surbibors,  £lpril  1511),  1882, 
Lieut.  PALMER  B.  HEWLETT  Sonoma  Co. 

Ex-Brig.-Genl.,  National  Guard  State  of  California. 

*E VANS,  JOSEPH  (Sergt.) Newark,  N.  J. 

*KVANS,  PLUMMERB.  (Corpl.)  • Hampton,  Va. 

Lieut,  of  Vols.  late  IVar. 

*EMERSON,  JOHN  CALVIN        Bath,  Steuben  Co.,  N.Y. 

*GriBAL,  EUGENE Gilroy. 

HITT,  CALVIN          Winona,  Minn. 

*OSGOOD,  HENRY  M San  Luis  Obispo. 

SMITH,  ELIJAH  M Aurora,  Mono  Co. 

SULLIVAN,  CORNELIUS        Lompoc,  Santa  Barbara  Co. 

VINCENT,  JOSHUA  S.  (Sergt.)    .  .          . .        Linn  Creek,  Camden  Co.,  Mo. 

*  WARD,  ANDREW  J.  Madison,  Wis. 

WOOD,  JOHN  Hanford,  Tulare  Co. 

*SHARKEY,  FRANK  L .  .    Norwich,  Conn. 


Lieut.  HENRY  MAGEE 
Lieut.  WILLIAM  H.  SMITH 
BUND.  JOHN       .. 
HARMON,  DE  WITT  J.       .  . 


to  fit  HUbing. 

was  at  San  Diego  in  1874. 

was  at  Algerine  Camp,  Tuolumne  Co.,  in  1874. 

was  on  Calaveras  River  in  1874. 

was  at  Murphy's,  Calaveras  Co.,  in  1874. 


WYBOURN,  ROBERT  (Corpl.) 


was  in  Calaveras  Co.  in  1874. 


(!Hi)crcabciuts 


BLACK,  JAMES 
BROOKS,  EDWARD  J. 
CASEY,  MICHAEL  (Corpl.) 
DOODY,  PATRICK 
GILLINGHAM,  HENRY  (Mus.) 
HAUGHTY,  MICHAEL 
JOHNSON,  IRA 
KEMPST,  GEORGE  W. 
KELLY,  ;JAMES  (Mus.) 
KELLY,  PHILIP 


LUKER,  WILLIAM 
MAPES,  WALTER  B. 
MORACE,  ERASTUS 
NICKERSON,  THOMAS 
PERRIN,  JAMES 
SMITH,  CHARLES 
SEXTON,  LORIN 
WIDGER,  BENJAMIN 
WITTAM,  ISAAC 
ZITTLE,  MICHAEL 


Capt.  WILLIAM  E.  SHANNON  ..         Sacramento,  Nov.,  1850. 

Alcalde  of  Coloma  District  in  iS^;  Member  of  the  Constitutional  Con-vention 
at  Monterey,  iSqq. 

ALDRICH,  JAMES City  Point,  Va.,  March  2,  1864. 

BARNUM,  EDGAR  M Monterey,  Sept.  9,  1847. 

BALDWIN,  JOSIAH  1, San  Jose,  Oct.,  1850. 

CLARK,  JOHN  N.  .  .          .  .    Burrell  Spring,  Fresno  Co.,  May  12,  1879. 

CHASE,  HIRAM         .  .          .  .          .  .          . .          .  .    Date  and  place  unknown. 


47 

CONNELL,  JOHN  .  .'         . .        at  Sea,  between  California  and  Oregon. 

DOMER.  PETER San  Diego,  June  24,  1848. 

HARDMOUNT.  WILLIAM Date  and  place  unknown. 

KANE,  PETER Date  and  place  unknown. 

LOGAN,  JOSEPH  B.  (Sergt.)          .  .  Springfield,  Tuolumne  Co.,  Oct.,  1857. 
LOUNT,  SETH  H.  .  .          . .      Killed  by  Rogue  River  Indians  in  1855. 

MILLER,  AUGUSTUS          Date  and  place  unknown. 

MURCII,  WILLIAM  B.  (Corpl.)          .  .          . .          Monterey,  Oct.  27,  1847. 

SHARP,  •  MATTHEW  W near  Coloma,  in  1850. 

SMITH,  CHARLES  F Date  and  place  unknown. 

STALL,   ALFRED  B. .  .          .  .          .  .          .  .          .  .  Date  and  place  unknown. 

VAIL,  JAMES  M.  Killed  by  Indians  in  Weaver  Creek,  El  Dorado  Co. ,  in  1848. 

VAXKEUSEN,  JEREMIAH Aroca,  N.  Y.,  Sept.,  1855. 

WARBECK,  HENRY  R San  Francisco, ,185—. 

UNDERWOOD,  G.  L Portland,  Oregon,  Nov.  15,  1881. 

MAPES,  GEORGE  W Date  and  place  unknown. 


(Transferred  from  (£o.  3. 

Lieut.  J.  McH.  HOLLINGSWORTH        to  Co.  G. 

ERATH,  JOHN "  G. 

GRAFF,  GEORGE  J "  E. 

JACKSON,  JAMES  M "  G. 

MOUSER,  JOHN "  D. 

SEARLES,  GEORGE "  J>. 

SHIRLAND,  E.  D.              "  G. 

STALL,  ALFRED  B.  ::  G. 


010.  "  K/1 

This  Company  was  recruited  in  Chenango  County,  N.  Y., 
by  Kimball  H.  Dimmick,  a  lawyer  of  Norwich,  N.  Y.,  who  was 
subsequently  elected  captain.  On  the  3d  of  August,  1846,  the 
Company  left  Chenango  Co.  for  the  rendezvous  of  the  regiment 
on  Governor's  Island,  at  which  place  they  arrived  on  the  follow 
ing  morning.  When  the  regiment  embarked  for  California 
this  Company  was  assigned  to  the  transport  "  Loo  Choo," 
arriving  at  San  Francisco  March  26th,  1847.  Upon  its  arrival 
in  California  the  Company  was  stationed  at  the  Presidio, 
near  San  Francisco,  at  which  post  the  Company  remained  on 
duty  until  its  discharge  from  the  service  on  the  i5th  of  August, 
1848. 


€0.   "ft.11 

.Surbibors,  Slpril  I5tf),  I8S2. 

*  ABBOTT,  AUSTIN  R,  (Corpl.)  Sacramento. 

*CHRISTIAN,  WILLIAM  H Utica,  N.  Y. 

Drig.-Genl.  of  I'ols.  late  War. 

KNIGHT,  JOHN Ukiah. 

MERRILL,  JOHN  II .  .          .  .    Washington,  D.  C. 

MERRITT,  ROBERT  G.  Hopville,  Mendocino  Co. 

O'NEIL,  THOMAS   .  .          — ,  Nevada. 

RUGGLES,  JOHN         Sacramento. 

STOW,  AARON       .  .          . .          Davenport,  Iowa. 


REMINGTON,  DARIUS  C. 
RODRIAN,  CHARLES   .. 
WALTHER,  GEORGE 


to  be  HLtbincj. 

.     was  at  Washington  Territory  in  1874. 

. .  was  at  San  Francisco  in  1874. 

was  at  Los  Angeles  in  1874. 


BROOKS,  CHARLES  W. 
BANNARD,  GEORGE 
BRADY,  JAMES 
BROWNING,  JOPIN  W. 
CROWLEY,  MICHAEL 
CARTER,  JOHN 
DYE,  HAZZARD 
DURKUE,  ANTHONY 
FRINK,  DANIEL 
FORRESTER,  GEORGE  H.  H. 
FREEBORN,  JOHN 
GUILE,  WILLIAM  (Mus.) 
GRAY,  WILLIAM  D. 
HUDSON,  BENJAMIN 
HOYT,  DANIEL  C. 
HUNTLEY,  EZRA 
JOHNSON,  CHARLES  F. 
KENDALL,  ALVA 
KLOPPER,  MICHAEL 


KELLY,  JOHN 
KOB,  GEORGE 

LEACH,  FREDERICK  N.  (Mus.) 
LOUGHRAY,  ANDREW 
LOVELAND,  CYRUS  C. 
McKAY,  JOHN  H. 
MAXWELL,  JAMES  W. 
MURRAY,  EDWARD 
RAUSCH,  NICHOLAS  J. 
SELLERS,  JACKSON  (Sergt.j 
SMITH,  JAMES  M. 
STOPPARD,  MOSES 
SLEIGHT,  PETER 
WHITE,  PHILANDER  (Corpl..) 
WILKES,  JOHN 
WOOLARD,  HENRY 
WHEELOCK,  LYMAN 
WEIDNEY,  ANTHONY 
WHEELER,  JOHN 


Capt.  KIMBALL  H.  DIMMICK 


Date  and  placte  unknown. 


Member  of  the  State  Constitutional  Convention  at  Monterey,  iS^q.     Appointed 
by  Go7>.  B.  Riley,  Judge  First  Superior  Tribunal  of  Cal.,  Nov.  /,  /<£#. 

Lieut.  JOHN  S.  NORRIS    ......  in  Central  America  in  1856. 

Lieut.  GEORGE  C.  HUBBARD          .  .          .  .         -  Illinois,  _  185— 

Lieut.  RODERICK  M.  MORRISON    .  .  at  Carson  Creek,  April  18,  1849. 


49 


CAMPBELL,  WILLIAM 
CALLENDER,  MILLS  L.       . . 
HOMMITCH,  JOHN 
LIVINGSTON,  PETER  F.     . . 
MARCH,  EDWIN 

NEEB,  JOHN  

SISSON,  RUEBEN  (Corp'l)     . : 
WILLIAMSON?  THOMAS  DENT. 


San  Jose,  Dec.  18,  1848. 

.  .Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  21,  1871. 

San  Francisco,  Dec.  26,  1876. 

Sonora,  Tuolumne  Co.,  Sept.  30,  1873. 

Pleasant  Springs,  Nov.  2d.  1860. 

Sonoma,  Feb.  20,  1874. 

.  .     Mission,  San  Rafael,  Nov.  30,  1849. 

Santa  Rosa,  Sonoma  Co., 187 — 


(TransftrrtlJ  from  Co. 


Lieut.  THERON  R.  PER  LEE 

f  Lieut.  GEORGE,  D.  BREWERTON 

AMES,  THADDEUS  M 

FORBES,  ELI  B 

MILLER/VALENTINE 

PFI  ESTER,  ADOLPH 


to  Co.  C. 

to  1st  U.  S.  Dragoons. 

to  Co.  C. 

"       F. 

to  Regimental  Band. 


t  Now  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


Rev.  T.  M.  LEAVENWORTH 


now  residing  in  Sonoma  Co. 


RECAPITULATION-.   • 


Survivors 

Supposed 
to  be 
Living 

Where 
abouts 
Unknown 

Deceased 

TOTAL 

Field  Officers.    .  . 

1 

Staff  Officers  

6 

i 

Captains  

5 

4" 

Lieutenants.  .  . 

7 

Q 

A 

1  f\ 

Non-Commissioned  Staff. 
Regimental  Band 

1  »'» 

4 

oU 

4 
01 

Non-Coin.     Officers    and 
Privates  

136 

'30 

40Q 

10-1 

61 

r*n(\ 

<  lO 

155 

33 

443 

213 

844 

5° 


The  ten  companies  comprising  the  Regiment  were 
mustered  out  of  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
as  follows  : 

BY  LIEUT.  JAS.  A.  HARDIE  (Late-  Major  of  the  Regiment), 
3d  U.  S\  Artillery. 

Company  "C,"  Capt.  J.  E.  Brackett, 

at  San  Francisco,  August  i5th,  1848. 
Company  "K,"Capt.  K.  H.  Dimmick, 

at  San  Francisco,  August  i5th,  1848. 
Company  "H,"  Capt.  J.  B.  Frisbie, 

at  San  Francisco,  August  25th,  1848. 


BY  CAPT.  A.  J.  SMITH, 
ist  U.  S.  Dragoons. 

Company  "F,"  Capt.  F.  J.  Lippitt, 

at  Santa  Barbara,  September  8th,  1848- 
Company  "  E,"  Capt.  Nelson  Taylor, 

at  Los  Angeles,  September  i8th,  1848. 
Company  "G,"  Capt.  M.  R.  Stevenson, 

at  Los  Angeles,  September  i8th,  1848. 
Company  "  I,"  Capt.  W.  E.  Shannon, 

at  San  Diego,  September  25th,  1848. 


BY  CAPT.  HENRY  S.  BURTON  (late  Lieut.  Col.  of  the  Regiment), 

3d  U.  S.  Artillery. 
Company  "A,"  Capt.  S.  G.  Steele, 

at  Monterey,  October  23d,  1848. 
Company  "B,"  Lieut.  H.  C.  Mattsell, 

at  Monterey,  October  23d,  1848. 
Company  "  D,"  Capt.  H.  M.  Naglee, 

at  Monterey,  October  24th,  1848. 


The  Field  Officers  of  the  Regiment  were  mustered  out  of 
service  by  Capt.  H.  S.  Burton,  at  Monterey,  Cal.,  October  26th, 
1848. 


51 


THE  TRANSPORT  FLEET. 

The  following  named  vessels  conveyed  the  Regiment  to  Cali 
fornia,  and  the  information  relative  to  their  subsequent  career 
has  been  kindly  furnished  by  the  "Sun  Mutual  Insurance  Company 
of  New  York"  as  also  the  "Atlantic  Mutual  Insurance  Company 
jf  New  York" 

Ship  "  THOMAS  H.  PERKINS,"  697  tons  burden,  Arthur,  Mas 
ter,  with  Companies  B,  F,  G,  and  a  portion  of  Co.  E,  Col.  J.  D. 
Stevenson  commanding  troops. 

This  ship  was  sold  during  the  late  civil  war  to  a  merchant  of 
London,  England;  name  changed  to  the  "  Anstruther  "  of  London. 
On  the  5th  day  of  December,  1872,  this  vessel  was  at  Pensacola, 
Florida. 

Ship  "  Loo  CHOO,"  639  tons  burden,  Jas.  B.  Hatch,  Master, 
with  Companies  A,  C,  K,  and  a  portion  of  Co.  E,  Major  Jas.  A. 
Hardie,  commanding  troops. 

This  ship  was  at  New  York  in  1865,  no  trace  of  vessel  since 
that  date. 

Ship  "  SUSAN  DREW,"  701  tons  burden,  Putnam,  Master,  with 
Companies  D,  I,  H,  and  a  portion  of  Co.  E,  Lieut.  Col.  Henry  S. 
Burton  commanding  troops. 

This  ship  was  sold  to  British  owners,  name  changed  to  "  Mag- 
dalena,"  and  sailed  from  San  Francisco,  February  4th,  1852,  for 
Panama;  in  April,  1852,  she  was  'reported  at  Panama. 

Ship  "BRUTUS,"  463  tons  burden,  Adams,  Master,  sailed  from 
New  York  November  i3th,  1846,  with  the  officers  and  men  who 
were  left  at  New  York  at  the  date  of  the  sailing  of  the  Regiment; 
Capt.  Nelson  Taylor,  of  Co.  E,  commanding  detachment. 

This  vessel  was  last  recorded  as  lying  in  the  port  of  New 
York  in  the  month  of  July,  1860;  for  the  three  years  previous 
she  had  been  on  a  whaling  voyage.  No  record  of  the  vessel  can 
be  traced  since  that  date. 

Ship  "ISABELLA,"  649  tons  burden,  Geo.  Briggs,  Master, 
sailed  from  Philadelphia  on  the  i9th  day  of  August,  1847,  with 
TOO  recruits  for  the  Regiment,  in  charge  of  Lieut.  Thomas  J. 
Roach. 

The  "Isabella"  was  sold  in  1863  to  parties  of  Liverpool, 
England,  name  changed  to  "Lilla  Mansfield;  "  the  year  following 
her  sale  and  change  of  flag  she  was  wrecked  on  the  coast  of 

Ireland. 

• 

Ship  "SWEDEN,"  616  tons  burden,  Knott,  Master,  sailed  from 
New  York  in  the  month  of  September,  1847,  with  100  recruits  for 
the  Regiment,  in  charge  of  Lieut.  Thomas  E.  Ketchum. 

This  vessel  put  into  Gibraltar  while  on  a  voyage  from  Leghorn 
to  Philadelphia  in  the  month  of  January,  1860  (another  report 
:says  April,  1860),  was  there  condemned  as  unseavvtorthy. 


52 

The  following  interesting  article  is  from  the  pen  of 
Col.   TJws.  Crosby  Lanccy,  of  San  Francisco  :— 

THE  history  of  the  causes  which  led  to 'and  the  manner  in 
which  the  acquisition  -of  California  was  made  by  the  United 
States  are  at  this  date  almost  unknown  to  perhaps  the  majority  of 
the  people  who  now  dwell  in  this  State.  To  many  the  events  of 
the  years  before  the  great  influx  of  the  gold  seeking  population 
who  came  here  in  1849-50  have  been  unrevealed,  and  even  to 
those  who  have  been  cognizant  of  the  thrilling  drama  enacted 
here,  the  remembrance  has  all  but  faded  out.  The  story  of  those 
brave  and  adventurous  spirits  who — long  before  the  cry  of  gold 
reached  the  East,  borne  upon  the  winds  that  blew  over  the  Sier 
ras  from  ocean  to  ocean — conceived  and  carried  out  the  idea  of 
adding  California,  then  a  province  of  Mexico,  as  another  jewel 
to  the  star  en-crowned  United  States,  has  never  yet  been  given  to 
the  world  in  its  completeness,  and  so  to-day,  grateful  Californians 
know  not  to  whom  they  are  indebted  for  their  fair  heritage. 
Without  seeking  to  wrest  a  single  laurel  from  the  many  gallant 
men  who  were  here  before  the  war  with  Mexico  (in  1846)  broke 
out,  the  "Post"  must  concede  to  the  famous  Stevenson's  Regi 
ment,  which  arrived  in  this  State  from  New  York  during  that 
period,  a  generous  share  of  the  honors  of  the  conquest.  The 
causes  which  led  to  the  formation  of  that  command;  the  trials  of 
its  commander  in  selecting  suitable  men;  the  purposes  for  which 
it  was  organized;  its  sailing;  the  voyage,  and  landing  here — all 
of  these  are  interesting  facts.  When  the  war  with  Mexico  broke 
out  Colonel  Stevenson  was  a  member  of  the  New  York  Legislature, 
on  the  closing  session  of  which  he  made  a  speech  warmly  sup 
porting  the  Government  in  its  action.  Soon  after  Colonel  Steven 
son  had  business  in  Washington  City,  where  he  called  upon  his 
old  friend,  Amos  Kendall,  then  Post  Master-General.  At  the 
house  of  the  latter  he  was  introduced  to  a  prominent  Mormon, 
who  had  just  secured  permission  from  President  Polk  to  organize 
a  regiment  at  Council  Bluffs  to  march  to  California  under  the 
command  of  a  United  States  officer.  During  the  conversation 
Colonel  Stevenson  remarked  that  he  had  heard  much  of  Califor 
nia,  and  would  like  very  much  to  go  there.  Mr.  Kendall  in 
reporting  the  matter  of  the  organizing  of  the  Mormon  regiment, 
incidentally  mentioned  that  Colonel  Stevenson  was  in  the  city, 
and  also  mentioned  what  he  said  relative  to  California.  The 


53 


President  immediately  said  to  Mr.  Kendall:  "  See  Colonel  Steven 
son,  and  tell  him  that  if  he  is  disposed  to  go  to  California  I  will 
give  him  authority  to  raise  a  regiment  of  New  York  volunteer^." 
Colonel  Stevenson  was  informed  of  this  offer  by  Mr.  Kendall, 
and  soon  after  Gen.  J.  A.  Dix,  then  Senator  from  New  York, 
also  came  to  his  hotel,  and  told  him  the  President  had  asked  his 
opinion,  regarding  the  idea  of  sending  a  detachment  by  way  of 
Cape  Horn.  He  approved  of  the  measure  and  of  the  commander 
chosen,  as,  had  he  the  nomination,  he  would  name  Col.  Stevenson 
before  any  other  citizen  soldier  that  he  knew.  Hon.  Daniel  S. 
Dickinson,  also  a  Senator  from  New  York,  likewise  tendered  his 
congratulations  to  Colonel  Stevenson,  and  wished  him  success. 
Colonel  Stevenson  felt  much  delicacy  in  calling  upon  the  Presi 
dent,  and  therefore  delayed  doing  so  until  he  should  receive  an 
invitation  from  him.  The  next  day,  after  Secretary  Marcy  had 
told  him  of  what  President  Polk  had  said,  Colonel  Stevenson 
visited  the  mansion  grounds,  where  on  one  day  in  each  week,  a 
grand  out  of  door  musical  soiree  was  given  by  the  band,  which 
generally  attracted  some  5,000  people,  and  while  there  a  servant 
approached  with  a  request  from  President  Polk  who  was  on  the 
rear  portico,  that  the  Colonel  should  step  around  and  see  him. 
The  Colonel  did  so,  and  the  President  in  person  requested  him 
to  call  upon  him  the  next  day.  In  the  interview  on  the  following 
day  the  President  questioned  Colonel  Stevenson  closely  as  to  his 
previous  pursuits  and  his  experience  in  business.  These  the 
Colonel  answered  satisfactorily,  and  then  the  President  added 
that  he  had  heard  him  spoken  very  highly  of  as  a  commander 
and  a  man  of  ability  by  Secretary  of  War  Marcy  and  others,  said 
that  he  was  satisfied  he  would  do  honor^  to  himself  in  the 
matter,  and  thereupon  gave  him  authority  to  raise  the  regiment. 
Colonel  Stevenson  then  left  the  executive  chamber  with  orders  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Quartermaster  and  Commissary  Gen 
eral  for  the  necessary  arms,  supplies  and  transportation  of  the 
regiment.  The  Cabinet  approved  of  the  appointment  of  Colonel 
Stevenson,  and  heartily  entertained  the  idea  of  the  conquest  of 
California.  Gen.  Winfield  Scott,who  was  also  present,  thought  the 
appointment  a  good  one,  and  assented  to  it.  Col.  Stevenson  then 
left  for  New  York,  and  in  the  morning  the  mail  brought  him  the 
official  permission  to  raise  the  regiment,  signed  by  W.  L.  Marcy, 
and  dated  June  26,  1846.  The  instructions  from  the  Secretary 
were  that  the  regiment  should  be  composed  of  unmarried  men,  of 


54 

good  habits  and  varied  pursuits,  and  such  as  would  be  likely  to 
remain  in  California  or  adjoining  territory  at  the  close  of  the  war. 
It  ,was  understood  that  the  recruits  must  be  informed  that  they 
were  to  go  a  long  distance,  and  that  they  were  to  enlist  for  the 
war  and  no  shorter  length  of  time,  and  that  they  also  might  be 
mustered  out  of  service  at  any  point  within  the  United  States 
that  the  commandant  named  at  the  conclusion  of  the  war.  The' 
notification  also  read  that  the  command  would  be  expected  to 
start  early  in  August,  1846.  Upon  receipt  of  this  Colonel 
Stevenson,  in  a  communication  dated  June  3oth,  wrote  to  Silas 
Wright,  the  Governor  of  New  York,  for  the  necessary  permission 
to  raise  a  regiment  in  the  State.  To  this  the  Governor  graciously 
consented.  Up  to  this  time  nothing  was  known  of  the  intended 
movement,  and  Colonel  Stevenson  himself  had  the  pleasure  of 
announcing  it  at  the  usual  gathering  of  all  the  officers  of  the 
citizen  soldiery  of  the  city  of  New  York,  at  the  Governor's  room,, 
upon  the  4th  of  July,  1846.  The  following  day  the  newspapers 
contained  full  accounts  of  the  new  movement,  and  on  the  yth  of 
July  Colonel  Stevenson  took  up  his  head-quarters  at  the  old  State 
Arsenal  in  White  street,  and  began  receiving  recruits  for  the 
seven  companies  to  be  raised  in  New  York  City,  which,  with 
three  companies  to  be  recruited  in  the  interior  of  the  State,  would 
make  ten  companies  of  a, ^regiment  of  1,000  men.  Colonel 
Stevenson  had  arranged  that  his  own  commission,  as  well  as 
those  of  his  staff,  should  be  issued  by  the  State  of  New  York, 
and  he  also' had  determined  that  his  field  and  staff  should,  if  pos 
sible,  be  composed  of  officers  of  the  regular  army  or  graduates  of 
West  Point.  His  reason  for  desiring  that  his  principal  officers 
should  be  graduates  of  West  Point  was  that  he  intended  to  bring 
the  regiment  out  in  three  detachments,  and  he  wanted  able  men 
to  command  and  drill  them.  Colonel  Stevenson  had  especially 
requested  the  Secretary  of  War  not  to  appoint  any  one  to  accom 
pany  him,  except  in  a  military  capacity,  and  then  not  unless  he 
was  under  his  control.  As  soon  as  it  became  generally  known 
that  a  regiment  was  to  be  raised  for  service  in  California  numer 
ous  applications  for  positions  were  made  to  the  President  and 
Secretary  of  War,  all  of  which'  were  referred  to  Colonel  Steven 
son.  Many  applications  were  made  for  the  positions  of  Surgeon 
and  Assistant-Surgeon  to  the  regiment.  The  applications  were 
referred  to  the  United  States  Board  of  Medical  Examiners,  whc« 
recommended  Alexander  Perry  for  Surgeon  and  William  C 


55 

Parker  for  Assistant-Surgeon.  Colonel  Stevenson,  having  suc 
ceeded  in  getting  the  officers  of  his  choice  for  the  field  and  staff, 
felt  assured  of  the  success  of  the  expedition,  and  at  once  turned 
his  attention  to  the  organization  of  the  several  companies.  The 
various  officers  recruiting  these  companies  had  been  given  full 
and  special  instructions,  and  in  a  very  short  time  ten  full  compa 
nies  of  splendid  men  had  been  recruited,  seven  of  which  were 
from  New  York,  one  from  Albany  and  the  other  two  from  the 
interior  counties  of  the  State.  These  companies  were  on  the  ist 
of  August  gathered  together  in  general  encampment  on  Govern 
or's  Island,  N.  Y.  Harbor,  the  tents  being  pitched  on  a  lawn 
between  Fort  Columbus  and  Castle  Williams.  Here,  on  the  first 
day  of  August,  1846,  the  regiment  was  mustered  into  service  by 
Colonel  Bankhead,  commanding  the  Second  Regiment  of  Artil 
lery,  as  the  Seventh  New  York  Volunteers. 

There  were  38  commissioned  officers  and  729  non-com 
missioned  officers  and  privates,  making  a  total  of  767,  rank  and 
file. 

The  regulations  of  the  service  provided  that  all  recruits 
should  be  surgically  examined  within  four  days  of  their  ap 
plication,  but  at  that  time  the  examining  physicians  were  so 
busy  elsewhere  that  it  was  not  until  the  2oth  of  August  that 
the  Regiment  was  examined.  So  strict  were  the  examining 
surgeons  that  out  of  the  800  men  there,  150  were  rejected. 
When  it  became  known  that  so  many  had  been  rejected,  over  500 
applications  were  made  for  the  vacancies  within  two  days.  Very 
few  members  of  the  Regiment  were  over  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
and  no  married  men,  excepting  those  whose  wives  accompanied 
the  regiment  as  laundresses,  were  taken.  Some  of  these  rejected 
men  were  very  bitter  against  Colonel  Stevenson,  and  talked  of 
suing  him  for  false  imprisonment  in  keeping  them  on  Governor's 
Island  for  twenty  odd  days  without  having  them  examined,  but 
when  the  matter  was  fully  explained  to  them  a  greater  portion  at 
once  saw  that  he  was  not  to  blame,  and  relinquished  the  idea. 

At  about  this  time  one  Thomas  Jefferson  Sutherland,  who 
had  in  earlier  days  organized  a  band  of  men  to  co-operate  with 
some  discontented  spirits  in  Canada,  who  were  trying  to  create  a 
revolution  there,  appeared  on  the  scene.  This  Sutherland,  dur 
ing  the  trouble  mentioned,  had  gathered  about  100  men,  and  had 
taken  possession  of  Navy  Island,  in  the  Niagara  river,  above  the 
Falls,  and  so  alarmed  the  Canadians  that  they  requested  the- 


56 

United  States  to  remove  them.  This  was  accordingly  done  by  a 
detachment  of  United  States  soldiery.  From  that  time  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war  with  Mexico  he  led  a  wandering,  vaga 
bond  life,  and  when  he  heard  of  Colonel  Stevenson's  intended  de 
parture  he  applied  to  the  Secretary  of  War  for  a  position  in  that 
Regiment.  The  Secretary  directed  him  to  Colonel  Stevenson, 
without,  however,  recommending  him,  or  even  giving  him  a  note 
to  the  Colonel  on  the  subject.  A  few  days  after  he  appeared 
before  Colonel  Stevenson,  at  Governor's  Island,  and,  although 
a  perfect  stranger  to  him  asked  for  a  position  on  his  staff.  When 
told  there  was  no  vacancy,  he,  with  a  sublimity  of  cheek  truly 
refreshing,  said  that  while  he  would  prefer  going  as  a  military 
man,  still  he  would  accept  the  position  of  "  adviser  "  to  Colonel 
Stevenson,  which  position  he  could  fill  with  ability,  owing  to  his 
great  military  experience.  Upon  the  Colonel's  refusing  the 
proffered  counsel,  Sutherland  waxed  indignant,  and  saucily  told 
that  gentleman  that  he  had  much  powerful  influence,  and  that  he 
(the  Colonel)  would  be  made  to  feel  the  weight  of  his  displeas 
ure,  before  the  command  left,  if,  indeed,  he  did  not  entirely  pre 
vent  its  departure.  At  this  the  patience  of  Colonel  Stevenson 
became  exhausted,  and  he  ordered  him  from  the  tent  and  off  the 
camp  ground.  Nothing  more  was  heard  of  the  would-be 
"  adviser  "  until,  some  fifteen  days  before  the  time  appointed  for 
the  command  to  sail,  the  Colonel  received  a  communication  from 
the  Secretary  of  War,  inclosing  a  communication  from  some 
prominent  politicians  of  Philadelphia  to  President  Polk,  advising 
him  that  matters  were  so  shaping  at  New  York  that  Colonel 
Stevenson  might  be  prevented  from  going  to  California  in  com 
mand  of  the  expedition,  and  that  in  case  he  did  not  go  all  of  his 
field  officers  would  resign  on  account  of  their  attachment  to  him. 
The  communication  also  went  on  to  say  that  they  would  recom 
mend  for  the  Colonel's  position  a  certain  captain  in  the  New  York 
volunteers,  and  graduate  of  West  Point.  This  communication,  al 
though  coming  without  a  word  of  comment,  created  quite  a  dis 
turbance  in  Col.  Stevenson's  mind,  and  he  set  himself  to  work  care 
fully  reviewing  his  whole  life,  to  see  if  he  could  find  aught  objec 
tionable  that  his  bitterest  enemy  could  point  to  with  scorn  or  con 
tempt.  Although  in  his  forty-sixth  year,  he  could  find  nothing 
in  his  whole  life,  nearly  all  of  which  had  been  passed  in  New 
York,  which  he  could  not  justify  before  the  whole  community. 
Feeling  assured  also  of  the  respect  and  friendship  of  both  the 


57 

President  and  Secretary  of  War,  he  immediately  telegraphed  the 
latter  that  the  command  would  sail  on  the  25th  or  26th  of  Sept 
ember.  Preparations  for  departure  were  hurried  to  completion. 

The  ships  Thomas  H.  Perkins,  Loo  Choo,  and  Susan  Drew, 
having  been  chartered  by  the  Secretary  of  War  and  their  lower 
holds  filled  with  naval  stores,  munitions  of  war,  grist  and  saw 
mills,  and  everything  that  was  considered  necessary  for  the  con 
quest  and  retention  of  California,  were  only  awaiting  the  em 
barkation  of  the  troops  to  sail. 

A  meeting  of  the  junior  commanders  with  their  superiors  was 
held  the  day  after  the  dispatch  had  been  sent,  which  was  on  the 
23d  of  September,  and  then  Colonel  Stevenson  informed  them  of 
his  determination  to  sail  on  the  25th.  To  this  the  officers  de 
murred,  they  arguing  that  both  the  soldiers  and  sailors,  being 
superstitious,  would  be  greatly  dissatisfied  sailing  on  a  Friday. 
Finally,  these  unexpected  objections  having  due  weight,  the 
Colonel  made  the  day  of  sailing  one  day  later.  •  This  arrangement 
was  to  be  kept  an  entire  secret  from  both  the  line  officers,  soldiers, 
and  the  sailors.  The  conference  then  adjourned.  At  its  close  a 
young  friend  of  the  Colonel's,  for  whom  he  had  secured  a  position 
in  the  Sheriff's  office,  New  York,  came  into  the  tent  laboring 
under  much  suppressed  excitement,  and  began  revealing  a  most 
dastardly  and  cunningly-contrived  plot  designed  to  prevent 
Colonel  Stevenson  from  accompanying  his  Regiment.  This  young 
man,  whom  the  Colonel  had  benefitted  so  much,  had  not  forgotten 
his  benefactor,  and  now,  when  he  found  opportunity  to  do  him 
a  service,  it  was  eagerly  embraced.  The  startling  intelligence 
that  he  brought  was  that  some  seventy  or  eighty  of  the  dis 
contented  rejected  applicants  previously  mentioned  had  been 
induced  by  some  influence  to  bring  suits  for  false  imprisonment 
against  Colonel  Stevenson,  the  damages  claimed  aggregating 
$80,000.  The  young  man  begged  Colonel  Stevenson  not  to  re 
veal  his  informant's  name,  for  if  he  did  it  would  result  in  his 
losing  his  place.  The  whole  matter  was  held  as  a  secret  in  the 
Sheriff's  office.  In  this  the  Colonel  thought  he  discerned  the 
work  of  the  artful  Sutherland  and  his  Pennsylvania  friends,  and 
at  once  asked  his  informant  if  he  had  ever  seen  Sutherland  in  the 
Sheriff's  office.  He  answered  that  he  had,  and  that  an  officer  of 
Colonel  Stevenson's  regiment  had  also  been  seen  there.  The 
writs  of  attachments  in  these  suits  were  all  ready  to  be  served, 
dnd  the  Sheriff's  officers  were  only  waiting  for  the  actual  day  of 


sailing  to  serve   them   upon   the   defendant.     Having   placed  his 
friend  upon  the  look-out  the  young  man   bade   him   adieu,  after 
promising  that  if  anything  new  transpired  he  would  inform   him 
of  it.    Immediately  after  the  departure  of  his  young  friend  orders 
were  issued  to  break  camp  and  to  embark,  and  by  nine  o'clock  on 
Thursday  morning,  the  24th,  the  entire  command  was  aboard  the 
transports,  and  the  commander  of  the  squadron's  flag  floated  at 
the  masthead  of  the  Colonel's  ship,  where  he  had  his  head-quarters. 
The  first  order  issued  on  shipboard  was  that  no  one  should  be 
permitted  to  board  or  leave  the  ship,  except  by  the  written  per 
mission  of  the  commanding  officer.    On  Wednesday,  after  making 
all  the  arrangements  for  embarking,  the  Colonel  sent  word  to  his 
motherless  daughters,   residing  at  home,  in   Rutger's  place,  to 
meet  him  at  twelve  o'clock  that  night  at  the  house  of  Frank  Geroe, 
a  friend  in  Brooklyn,  to  bid  him  good-by,  as  he  would  be  unable 
to  visit  his  home  before  sailing.     Shortly  before   that  hour  the 
Colonel  stepped  into  his  boat,  manned  by  six  trusty  men  and  a 
coxswain,   all   armed,   including   the    Colonel,    with    pistols   and 
cutlasses,  and  gave  orders  to  pull  for  Brooklyn.     The  night  being 
dark  and  the  oars  having  been  muffled  the  boat  reached  Brooklyn 
unobserved,  and   Colonel  Stevenson   had  the  pleasure  of  being 
with  his  three  daughters  for  an  hour,  when  he  bade  them  a  fond 
and  an  affectionate  farewell.     The  parting  was  most  painful,  but 
the  young  ladies,  being  cast  in  a  heroic  mold,  strove  to  hide  their 
feelings  of  sorrow  from  their  sire  and  not  add  to  his  keen  grief. 
Fondly  and  lovingly  he  kissed   them  good-by,  then   hastened  to 
leave  the  soil  of  New  York,  which  he  has  never  since  then  set  foot 
upon,  and  board  his  vessel.    After  the  command  had  been  gotten 
aboard  the  greatest  precautions  were  at  once  taken  to  prevent  any 
of  the   Sheriff's  employes  from   serving  any  writs  upon  Colonel 
Stevenson.     The  Colonel's  boat,  with  four  well-armed  men  in  it, 
was  stationed  at  the  foot  of  the  rope  ladder,  and   orders  were 
given  that  any  person  wanting  to  come  on  board  should  send  up 
his  card  and  business  from  this  boat,  and  if  any  one  attempted  to 
force  his  way  on  board  he  should  be  seized  and  ironed. 

Men  were  also  stationed  at  four  different  parts  of  the  vessel 
with  a  32  pound  shot  within  reach,  with  orders  to  sink  any  boat 
that  persisted  in  making  fast  to  the  vessel  after  being  ordered  off. 
Several  attempts  were  made  by  the  Sheriff's  officers  to  get  on 
board  to  serve  their  writs,  by  means  of  sending  up  false  messages, 
giving  other  than  their  own  names,  and  other  devices,  not  one  of 


59 

which  deceived  the  grim  Colonel,  who  was  not  to  be  caught  with 
chaff.  One  party  made  a  forcible  attempt  to  get  aboard,  but  a 
shot  dropped  between  their  boat  and  the  ship  by  a  guard,  who 
immediately  seized  another  shot,  as  if  to  be  more  accurate,  caused 
the  adventurous  craft  to  hastily  pull  away.  All  day  Thursday 
and  Friday  this  strict  guard  was  kept  up.  On  Thursday  afternoon 
Colonel  Stevenson  called  an  old  man-of-war's-man  into  his  cabin, 
and,  knowing  that  he  could  rely  upon  him,  explained  the  situation 
to  him,  and  placed  him  in  charge  of  the  ship's  .cannon,  with  in 
struction  to  select  a  corps  to  man  each  gun  and  to  see  that  the 
cannons  were  carefully  loaded  with  grape  and  cannister  and  kept 
ready  for  instant  service.  Through  the  Quartermaster  at  New 
York,  Colonel  Stevenson  had  ordered  four  steamers  (tug-boats 
were  then  unknown)  to  be  in  readiness  to  tow  the  flotilla  out  at 
a  given  signal,  which  was  to  be  two  cannon  shots  in  quick  suc 
cession.  These  orders  were  given  the  captains  of  the  steamers 
under  the  promise  of  secrecy,  and  no  other  soul  on  them  knew  of 
the  duty  they  were  to  perform.  Friday  was,  perhaps,  the  most 
anxious  day  of  Colonel  Stevenson's  life.  Still  it  is  doubtful  if 
living  man  could  have  learned  it  from  his  immobile  features,  calm 
voice  or  undisturbed  manner.  He  gave  audience  to  many  of  his 
friends,  transacted  business  with  others,  and  at  half-past  two 
closed  his  audience  for  the  day  and  went  on  deck  to  make 
arrangements  for  doubling  guards.  Gathering  a  few  of  his  trusty 
friends  about  him  he  explained  the  situation  to  them  also,  and 
told  them  that  he  intended  to  resist  arrest  at  all  hazards,  even  if 
the  Sheriff's  boat  had  to  be  blown  out  of  the  water.  At  about 
three  o'clock  a  small  steamer  was  sighted  coming  down  East 
river,  and  apparently  heading  for  the  vessel.  As  she  approached 
nearer  and  nearer  the  Colonel  called  Captain  Turner's  attention 
to  it,  and  instructed  him,  in  case  she  attempted  to  come  along 
side,  to  hail  her  and  notify  the  man  at  the  wheel  that  if  he  did 
not  keep  off  he  would  be  shot  dead  where  he  stood. 

A  young  German,  formerly  a  soldier  in  the  Prussian  army, 
prompt  and  faithful,  was  placed  in  an  advantageous  position,  and 
these  orders  given:  At  the  word  "  Ready  !  "  he  was  to  raise  his 
piece — which,  with  but  a  cap  on  it,  combined  with  the  snap  of 
the  lock,  made  a  report  loud  as  a  derringer — and  cock  it.  At  the 
word  "  Aim!  "  he  was  to  bring  down  his  piece  and  to  draw  a  bead 
upon  the  man  in  the  pilot-house  of  the  approaching  steamer.  All 
these  directions  were  given  the  man  in  a  loud  tone,  and  could  be 


6o 

distinctly  heard  on  board  the  steamer.  A  tinkle  of  the  bell,  and 
she  slowed  down  to  come  alongside,  driven  by  her  acquired  force. 
Just  then  the  officer  of  the  day  gave  the  sentinel  the  command  of 
"Ready!"  and  up  went  the  gun,  the  cocking  of  which  sounded 
clear  and  determined.  The  order  to  aim  immediately  followed, 
when  Captain  Turner  sung  out  to  the  steamer's  pilot:  "  I  will 
give  you  five  seconds  to  back  your  steamer;  if  she  does  not  move 
you  are  a  dead  man!  "  The  pilot  looked  but  one  second  at  the 
captain,  another  second  was  taken  in  glancing  down  that  threaten 
ing  gun  barrel,  and  then  clang  went  the  bell,  and  the  wheels  of 
the  steamer  began  rapidly  to  back  water,  and  she  moved  off  as 
quickly  and  as  silently  as  she  came,  the  man  at  the  wheel  not 
taking  his  eyes  off  that  terrible  gun  until  he  was  well  out  of  range. 
That  was  the  last  attempt  made  to  arrest  Colonel  Stevenson  on 
that  day.  That  evening  he  notified  Captain  Shields  of  the  United 
States  sloop  of  war  "Preble,"  which  vessel  was  to  accompany  his 
command,  that  he  should  sail  early  the  following  morning,  the 
26th,  and  also  gave  him  a  dispatch  to  be  sent  the  President  and 
Secretary  of  War  containing  the  same  notification.  That  same 
evening  Colonel  Stevenson  sent  a  messenger  to  notify  the  steamers 
he  had  engaged  to  be  alongside  at  daylight  to  tow  him  out,  and 
also  to  tell  Deputy  Sheriff  A.  M.  C.  Smith,  who  was  on  the  steamer 
which  attempted  to  come  alongside  of  the  ""  Perkins  "  that  after 
noon,  that  he  (Colonel  Stevenson)  would  never  be  arrested  in  that 
harbor,  and  that  he  intended  to  leave  at  the  head  of  his  command, 
peaceably  if  he  could,  forcibly  if  he  must.  The  deputy  then  said 
to  the  messenger  that  the  Sheriff  was  out  of  town.  He  had  been 
telegraphed  the  failure  to  arrest  Colonel  Stevenson,  and  had  re 
plied  that  he  would  return  to  the  city  by  eight  o'clock  the  next 
morning.  The  return  of  the  messenger  with  this  report  quieted 
Colonel  Stevenson's  apprehensions,  and  he  turned  in,  hoping  that 
he  could  leave  New  York  without  bloodshed.  At  dawn  on  the 
26th  he  was  up  and  on  deck  awaiting  the  coming  steamers.  While 
thus  waiting,  an  answer  to  the  telegram  sent  to  the  President  and 
Secretary  of  War  was  received.  It  read  as  follows:  "Your  tele 
gram  received.  Our  answer  is,  God  bless  and  speed  you  safely 
to  your  new  home;"  signed  by  President  Polk  and  Secretary 
Marcy. 

While  this  was  being  read,  Robert  Martin,  news  collector  for 
the  New  York  Herald,  and  personal  friend  of  Colonel  Steven 
son,  came  on  board,  bringing  with  him  the  State  flag  and  two 


6i 


guide  colors,  parts  of  a  stand  of  colors  that  the  officers  of  Colonel 
Stevenson's  old  militia  regiment  that  he  had  commanded  for 
twenty  years,  learning  that  the  fleet  was  about  to  sail,  had  sent 
on  board.  Colonel  Stevenson  received  the  colors  with  thanks, 
and  taking  leave  of  Martin,  gave  orders  to  weigh  anchor,  and 
in  a  few  moments,  the  steamers  having  come  along  side,  the 
little  flotilla  began  moving  out  down  the  Narrows.  Just  at  this 
moment,  as  Colonel  Stevenson  was  looking  through  his  glass,  at 
the  immense  concourse  of  people  gathered  on  the  Battery,  he 
saw  a  large  column  of  men  moving  along  pier  No.  i  to  the 
steamer  lying  at  the  end  of  the  pier.  This  he  correctly  surmised 
to  be  a  Sheriff's  posse  to  arrest  him.  Towing  the  "  Perkins," 
which  had  all  sails  set,  were  two  powerful  steamers,  and  with  the 
advantage  of  an  ebb  tide  it  was  hoped  that  she  could  not  be 
overtaken.  As  the  fleet  passed  out  the  Narrows,  Fort  Lafayette 
saluted  and  the  ships  responded.  As  the  smoke  of  the  canonad- 
ing  cleared  away,  the  little  steamer  with  the  Sheriff's  posse  on 
board  was  seen  rounding  Governor's  Island.  She  did  not  con 
tinue  the  chase  long,  for  when  the  fleet  rounded  Sandy  Hook 
naught  could  be  seen  of  her,  even  through  a  glass.  At  about  five 
miles  out  Colonel  Stevenson  signalled  the  vessels  to  heave  to, 
and  taking  one  of  the  steamers,  visited  in  succession  each  one  of 
them,  bidding  good-by  to  his  captains,  and  leaving  orders  with 
them  to  rendezvous  at  Rio  de  Janeiro.  When  the  steamer  ranged 
alongside  the  "Susan  Drew,"  he  noticed  that  the  officer  intended 
as  his  successor  by  the  Philadelphia  politicians,  and  the  same 
who  had  been  seen  at  the  Sheriff's  office  was  in  the  mizzen  chains, 
to  be  the  first  to  have  a  parting  clasp  of  the  hands  with  Colonel 
Stevenson,  who,  however,  in  boarding,  did  not  choose  to  notice 
his  extended  hand.  When,  however,  this  gentleman  placed  his 
hand  in  his,  Colonel  Stevenson  looked  him  steadily  in  the  eye. 
The  officer  at  that  glance  flushed  guiltily,  and  knew  then  that  the 
Colonel  was  aware  of  his  perfidy  towards  him.  Slowly  the  check 
mated  villain  withdrew  his  hand  and  slunk  away. 

As  a  final  salute,  each  of  the  ships  manned  the  yards  and 
their  crews  gave  three  vigorous  cheers;  then  all  sail  was  spread, 
and  thus  the  Regiment  left  New  York  for  the  far  western  shore. 
When  it  is  remembered  that  this  was  the  first  army  ever  sent  by 
the  United  States  to  subjugate  and  occupy  a  foreign  territory, 
and  that  never  before  in  the  history  of  the  world  did  a  detach 
ment  of  soldiers  go  so  far  to  reach  the  enemy's  country,  the  event 


62 


becomes  one  of  great  historical  interest.  As  the  returning  steam 
ers  faded  from  view,  the  brave  and  undaunted  commander  sought 
the  solitude  of  his  cabin,  where,  kneeling,  he  devoutly  thanked 
his  Creator  for  aiding  him  safely  through  the  troubles  of  the  few 
days  past. 

Always  a  sufferer  from  sea-sickness  when  at  sea,  Colonel 
Stevenson,  admonished  by  premonitory  symptoms  of  that  un 
welcome  visitant,  as  the  "  Perkins  "  lost  sight  of  land,  hastened 
to  make  all  preparation  to  resign  himself,  with  as  good  grace  as 
possible,  to  its  consequences.  Every  part  of  the  vessel  was  vis 
ited  and  orders  given  the  officers  for  a  week  ahead.  None  too 
soon  were  these  precautions  taken,  for  Colonel  Stevenson  had 
the  inevitable  attack  which  confined  him  to  his  state-room  for 
three  days,  and  when  he  reappeared  on  deck  he  was  but  the 
ghost  of  his  former  self,  and  was  so  weak  that  for  many  days  he 
had  to  be  supported  by  two  sturdy  soldiers.  Others  of  the  com 
mand  also  suffered  from  the  same  infliction.  Another  of  the  evils 
of  a  long  voyage  is  scurvy.  This  was  well  guarded  against,  how 
ever,  great  care  being  taken  that  plenty  of  wholesome  food,  and 
in  variety,  should  be  served  out.  The  result  of  this  was  that 
nothing  of  the  kind  appeared.  All  the  officers  messed  together, 
with  the  exception  of  the  master  of  the  ship,  Captain  Arthur. 
This  officer,  an  eccentric  personage,  was  a  German  by  birth,  but 
he  had  mingled  so  freely  with  the  people  of  all  nations,  that  his 
nationality  was  a  matter  of  speculation.  He  was  also  most  penuri 
ous  and  ill  tempered,  and  when  out  of  humor,  which  happened 
often,  he  was  perfectly  unbearable. 

Previous  to  sailing,  he  asked  permission  to  join  the  officers' 
mess,  adding  that  he  could  purchase  a  supply  of  pigs,  chickens 
and  ducks,  cheaper  than  its  members  could.  The  proposition  was 
acceded  to,  and  the  captain  proceeded  to  lay  in  much  live  stock 
and  poultry.  He,  however,  delayed  joining  the  mess  until  well 
out  to  sea,  and  when,  about  a  week  after  sailing,  it  was  proposed 
that  he  should  unite  with  the  mess,  and  that  the  event  should  be 
celebrated  by  a  chicken  dinner,  he  cooly  informed  the  astonished 
officers  that  he  had  changed  his  mind,  and  had  concluded  not  to 
join  the  mess.  If  they  wanted  any  chickens,  however,  he  would 
sell  the  mess  any  number  at  fair  prices.  The  officers,  disgusted 
at  his  conduct,  did  not  press  him  to  join  the  mess,  but  they  bar 
tered  for  his  chickens.  Here  again  they  were  astonished,  for  the 
price  asked  for  the  chickens  was  fully  three  times  that  which  he 


63 

had  paid  for  them,  so  they  concluded  not  to  purchase,  consigning 
both  the  captain  and  his  fowls  to  hades.  This  unexpected  deter 
mination  on  the  part  of  his  intended  victims  proved  unfortunate 
for  the  petty  speculator;  for,  the  soldiers  and  crew,  learning  the 
trick  he  had  served  the  officers,  also  declined  to  buy  a  single 
fowl  from  him.  This  was  not  the  extent  of  his  loss,  either;  for, 
although  he  did  not  sell  a  chicken,  he  soon  witnessed  them 
rapidly  disappear,  owing  to  numerous  midnight  raids,  until  at 
last  not  a  feather  of  them  was  left.  The  young  and  succulent 
pigs,  too,  grew  so  large  and  fat,  that  they  had  to  be  killed  and 
salted  down.  No  other  instance  of  pilfering  on  the  part  of  the 
command  was  recorded  on  the  voyage.  During  the  passage  the 
best  of  discipline  was  maintained,  and  there  were  few  viola 
tions  of  the  rules.  The  command,  with  one  exception,  paid  strict 
attention  to  them.  This  exception  was  a  sergeant  of  one  of  the 
companies.  An  order  had  been  issued  that  each  soldier  should 
be  in  his  bunk  by  nine  o'clock,  ready  to  turn  in  at  the  tap  of  the 
drum.  This  sergeant,  in  giving  the  order  to  his  detachment, 
supplemented  it  with  the  remark,  "  I  have  given  you  the  order 
and  I  don't  care  a  -  -  whether  you  obey  it  or  not."  This  re 
mark  was  repeated  to  Colonel  Stevenson,  who  at  once  reduced 
the  man  to  the  ranks  and  detailed  him  for  police  duty,  which 'was 
to  clean  up  the  ship.  This  duty  he  refused  to  perform,  and  so 
he  was  ordered  triced  up  by  the  thumbs  and  wrists;  and  the 
order  was  also  given  to  keep  him  in  that  position  until  he  was 
ready  to  make  a  proper  apology  for  his  conduct.  This  he  refused 
to  do,  and  when  his  captain  tried  to  reason  with  him  he  cursed 
and  swore  like  a  pirate.  He  was  then  left  alone  to  come  to  his 
senses,  but  was  visited  hourly  by  the  ship's  surgeon,  who,  from 
time  to  time,  reported  on  his  physical  condition. 

As  might  have  been  expected,  the  punishment  of  the  fractious 
sergeant  caused  a  murmur  of  discontent  forward,  until  at  length, 
seeking  to  frighten  Colonel  Stevenson  into  relaxing  his  severity, 
Captain  Folsom,  who  had  before  presumed  on  his  superior's 
friendship,  entered  his  cabin  and  in  rather  an  insolent  manner 
said  to  him:  "  Colonel  Stevenson,  do  you  know  that  there  will  be 
a  mutiny  on  this  vessel  this  afternoon  ?" 

"No,  sir,"  replied  Colonel  Stevenson,  "but  I  do  know  that 
there  will  not  be  a  mutiny  on  board  this  ship  this  afternoon;  and 
further,  Captain  Folsom,  you  know  that  I  sleep  over  nine  hundred 
tons  of  gunpowder,  but  you  do  not  know,  sir,  that  I  have  a  train 
laid  from  that  powder  to  my  berth  ? " 


64 

"What?"  stammered  the  captain.  "Colonel  Stevenson,  you 
surely  do  not  mean  to  say — 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  do,  and  you  can  rest  assured  that  before  I  will 
suffer  the  command  of  this  vessel  to  pass  from  me  there  will  not 
be  a  plank  left  for  a  soul  on  board  to  cling  to;  and  now,  sir,  let 
the  mutiny  proceed!  " 

Pale  as  a  spectre,  and  with  his  eyes  fairly  emerging  from  their 
sockets,  the  thoroughly  alarmed  officer  hastily  excused  himself 
and  hurried  forward,  where  he,  no  doubt,  imparted  the  fearful 
threat  he  had  just  heard  to  the  malcontents  waiting  there,  who,  if 
they  had  ever  entertained  mutinous  ideas,  quickly  discarded 
them.  r^he  feeling  of  discontent,  however,  was  not  crushed.  At 
roll  call  that  evening,  and  while  the  men,  mustered  on  deck,  were 
being  inspected,  the  soldier  undergoing  punishment  moaned  as  if 
in  pain.  At  this  his  bunk-mate,  who  was  standing  in  line  close 
by,  brought  his  piece  to  the  deck  in  a  forcible  manner  and  ex 
claimed,  "  By  G — ,  I  would  like  to  see  the  man  that  would  serve 
me—"  whack  came  a  blow,  given  quick  as  lightning  by  Colonel 
Stevenson,  who,  in  passing,  had  caught  the  sentence  ere  it  was 
finished,  and,  with  a  thud,  the  mutinous  soldier  fell  doubled  up 
in  a  heap  upon  the  deck.  Then  calmly  ordering  a  sergeant 
to  incarcerate  the  fallen  man  in  the  ship's  prison  and  keep 
him  on  bread  and  water  for  ten  days,  Colonel  Stevenson  quietly 
proceeded  with  the  inspection.  This  display  of  courage  and 
firmness  had  a  wholesome  effect  on  the  discontented  men  and  on 
the  triced-up  sergeant,  who  soon  after  sent  word  to  Colonel 
Stevenson  that  he  was  anxious  to  make  the  apology  demanded, 
and,  on  that  officer's  appearing,  did  so  most  humbly  He  was  then 
released,  and  from  that  time  on  both  he  and  the  rest  of  the  rebel 
lious  spirits  behaved  themselves  as  well  as  the  most  orderly  of 
the  command.  Thus  ended  the  mutiny  predicted  by  Captain 
Folsom. 

The  next  event  of  any  importance  was  the  birth  of  a  female 
child.  This  was  born  to  the  wife  of  Quartermaster-Sergeant 
Stephen  Harris.  On  the  same  day,  also,  the  "Perkins"  fell  in 
with  her  convoy,  the  sloop  "Preble,"  Captain  Shields.  The 
officers  and  crew  of  this  vessel,  on  learning  of  the  infantile  arrival, 
requested  permission  to  name  the  little  stranger,  which,  being 
granted,  the  name  of  Alta  California  was  chosen  for  her,  and  so 
three  vigorous  cheers  were  given  for  little  Miss  Alta  California 
Harris  by  both  ships'  crews.  A  few  days  later,  on  the  2oth  of 


65 

November,  the  two  vessels  having  in  the  meantime  parted  com 
pany,  the  ki  Perkins  "  entered  the  bay  of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  where  the 
"Susan  Drew,"  the  "LooChoo"  and  the  "Treble"  were  found  to 
have  arrived  and  were  at  anchor.  Here  was  also  the  United 
States  man-of-war,  "Columbia,"  flagship  of  Commodore  Rosseau, 
commanding  the  Brazilian  Squadron.  When  the  "  Perkins ' 
dropped  anchor  all  the  vessels  manned  yards  and  saluted  in 
man-of-war  style.  Shortly  after,  an  officer  was  sent  from  the 
"  Perkins  "  to  report  to  Commodore  Rosseau,  who  soon  afterwards 
visited  Colonel  Stevenson,  The  "  Perkins  "  was  also  boarded 
by  the  Brazilian  authorities,  who  requested  that  the  commander 
of  the  "  Perkins "  would  honor  them  by  exchanging  salutes 
with  their  forts.  Their  exchange  of  courtesies  was  agreed 
upon,  to  take  place  the  following  day.  A  communication 
received  soon  after  from  Commodore  Rosseau,  however,  made  it 
necessary  to  cancel  the  arrangement.  This  communication  was 
to  the  effect  that  owing  to  a  difficulty  between  the  Brazilian  Gov 
ernment  and  Hon.  H.  A.  Wise,  United  States  Minister  at  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  all  diplomatic  intercourse  between  the  two  nations  had 
been  suspended.  The  communication  ended  by  saying  that  as 
Colonel  Stevenson  commanded  an  independent  expedition,  he 
could  act  as  he  pleased  in  the  matter.  That  commander,  without 
hesitation,  resolved  to  support  Minister  Wise,  and  so  sent  a  mes 
senger  ashore  to  the  Brazilian  officials  to  say  that  it  would  not  be 
desirable  to  exchange  salutes  as  agreed  upon.  The  following 
day  the  United  States  officers  in  port  in  a  body,  upon  invitation, 
visited  tne  various  foreign  Embassies  in  that  city,  but  no  notice 
was  taken  of  the  Brazilian  officials. 

This  slight  did  not  serve  to  mollify  the  people  of  Brazil  in  the 
least,  and  the  breach  was  further  widened  in  the  christening  of  the 
protege  of  the  expedition,which  took  place  the  next  day.  Extensive 
preparations  were  made  for  that  event.  The  officers  of  the 
lt  Preble  "  selected  an  elegant  silver  cup,  suitably  engraved,  and 
issued  invitations  to  all  of  the  United  States  officials  to  attend  the 
christening  of  Miss  Alta  California  Harris,  to  take  place  on  board 
the  "  Columbia,"  the  fleet  chaplain  officiating.  The  vessel  selected 
was  gaily  decorated  for  the  occasion,  and,  at  the  hour  set,  all  in 
vited  were  present  to  participate  in  the  honor  to  be  done  the 
daughter  of  an  humble  soldier  of  a  great  republic.  All  were  aware 
that  the  child  was  born  famous,  for  was  she  not  the  first  child  ever 
born  whose  father  formed  part  of  the  first  expedition  of  armed 
5 


66 

American  emigrant  soldiers  ever  sent  by  their  Government  to 
conquer  and  occupy  a  foreign  province  ?  Minister  Wise  was  to 
stand  god-father,  and  he  and  the  child's  parents,  Commodore 
Rosseau,  Colonel  Stevenson  and  the  chaplain,  occupied  a  central 
position  on  the  deck.  The  interesting  ceremony  was  performed 
and  Minister  Wise  followed  in  a  speech.  Unfortunately,  in  con 
cluding,  he  drew  a  comparison  between  the  christening  of  a 
daughter  of  an  American  soldier  and  a  similar  event  which  had 
taken  place  on  shore  a  few  days  previous  in  which  the  "  royal 
bantling  of  the  Brazilian  Nation,"  as  he  termed  the  child,  had  been 
the  principal.  The  ceremony  on  the  "Columbia  "  was  concluded 
by  hearty  cheering  and  the  firing  of  salutes  from  every  vessel  in  the 
fleet.  The  insult — so  regarded — offered  by  Minister  Wise,  coming 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  Court  of  Brazil,  a  cabinet  meeting  was 
called  and  the  question  of  ordering  every  American  vessel  out  of 
the  port  was  debated.  Learning  of  this  proposed  action,  Colonel 
Stevenson  visited  first  the  most  distant  vessel  of  his  fleet,  and  in 
a  speech  to  the  officers  and  men,  countermanded  the  order  allow 
ing  a  portion  of  the  command  liberty  on  shore  each  day,  and  ex 
plaining  matters,  said  that  he  expected  that  Commodore  Rosseau 
would  refuse  to  obey  the  order.  In  that  case  it  would  be  his  duty 
to  stand  by  him,  and  that  a  conflict  between  their  vessels  and  the 
vessels  and  batteries  of  Brazil  would  be  inevitable.  That  being 
the  case,  he  said  that  the  next  time  they  went  ashore  it  would  be 
with  fixed  bayonets.  This  announcement  had  an  electrical  effect 
upon  the  men.  They  jumped  into  the  rigging  and  uttered  cheer 
after  cheer.  Those  on  the  nearest  vessel,  while  not  understand 
ing  the  cause  of  the  outburst,  became  excited  also,  and  they,  too, 
joined  in  the  enthusiastic  hurrah.  And  thus,  from  vessel  to  ves 
sel,  cheer  followed  cheer,  and  when  Colonel  Stevenson  was  rowed 
to  each  ship  in  turn,  and  they  also  were  told  the  news,  the  men, 
knowing  the  cause  of  the  outburst,  cheered  louder  than  before. 
All  this  time  the  scene,  on  shore  was  of  the  liveliest  nature. 

Upon  the  quay  fully  20,000  people  had  gathered,  curious  to 
know  what  the  Americans  were  growing  so  demonstrative  about. 
Then,  after  waiting  till  the  excitement  had  subsided  on  ship 
board,  the  swarming  piers  gradually  grew  less  crowded,  until 
finally  the  docks  resumed  their  wonted  appearance.  A  few  hours 
after  Commodore  Rosseau  thanked  Colonel  Stevenson,  in  person, 
for  his  proffered  aid,  and  told  him  that  he  (Colonel  Stevenson)  had 
interpreted  correctly  what  his  action  would  be  in  case  the  decree 


67 

was  'made.  No  such  summary  step  as  contemplated  by  the 
Brazilian  authorities  was  ever  taken,  for  the  Emperor  of  Brazil 
opposed  the  issuance  of  such  an  order,  but  insisted  on  demanding 
the  recall  of  Minister  Wise  by  the  United  States  Government,  which 
demand  was  subsequently  acceded  to.  A  careful  and  complete 
report  of  his  own  action  in  the  affair  was  forwarded  the  Secretary 
of  War  by  Colonel  Stevenson,  an  acknowledgment,  without  com 
ment,  of  the  receipt  of  which  was  duly  received  by  him  when  he 
arrived  in  California.  A  few  days  after  this  episode  the  sailing 
orders  were  given  to  the  fleet,  and  the  four  vessels  once  again 
breasted  the  ocean  with  all  sail  set,  bound  round  the  Horn. 
Nothing  further  of  importance  transpired  on  board  the  "Per 
kins"  during  the  remainder  of  the  voyage.  The  health  and  dis 
cipline  of  the  Command  were  perfect.  Favored  with  fair  weather 
and  fresh  breezes  the  good  ship  rapidly  neared  her  destination, 
until  in  the  latter  part  of  February,  1847,  the  welcome  shores  of 
California  appeared  in  the  horizon.  A  few  days  sail  along  the 
coast  brought  the  vessel  off  the  heads,  and  on  the  6th  of  March, 
1847,  the  "Perkins"  sailed  proudly  through  the  Golden  Gate, 
and  at  three  o'clock  rounded  to  and  came  to  an  anchor  opposite 
the  little  town  of  Yerba  Buena.  The  United  States  sloop-of-war, 
"  Cyane,"  Captain  Dupont,  was  in  the  harbor,  and  from  its  officers 
Colonel  Stevenson  learned  that  the  town  was  held  by  a  detach 
ment  of  the  United  States  Marine  Corps,  under  Lieutenant  Tan- 
sell.  General  Stephen  W.  Kearney,  commanding  the  Department 
of  the  Pacific  was  at  Monterey,  and  to  him  Colonel  Stevenson 
sent  a  courier  announcing  his  arrival. 

The  "Perkins,"  "Loo  Choo,"  and  "  Susan  Drew"  reached 
Rio  de  Janeiro  the  same  day,  Nov.  20,  and  sailed  together 
on  the  29th  ;  at  Rio  de  Janeiro,  Captain  James  M.  Turner 
resigned  and  returned  home,  and  in  the  "  Loo  Choo,"  off 
Cape  Horn,  First  Lieut.  William  R.  Tremmels  died.  The 
<l  Perkins"  reached  San  Francisco,  March  6,  1847,  165  days 
from  N.  Y.,  having  lost  four  by  death  and  gained  two  by  birth. 
The  "  Susan  Drew"  reached  San  Francisco  March  19,  1847. 

The  "  Loo  Choo "  struck  a  calm  near  the  tropics  which 
lengthened  her  passage,  and  it  was  during  this  calm  that  the  poet 
of  the  ship  wrote  these  lines  which  were  published  in  the  early 
papers  of  San  Francisco.  I  only  remember  the  following  line, 

"  The  old  Loo  Choo  seemed  dreaming 
So  idly  did  she  lay." 


68 

The  following,  which  was  written  on  board,  Feb.  25,  1847, 
setting  forth  the  objects  of  this  visit  to  California,  will  be,  I 
think,  welcomed  by  all  the  survivors  of  that  Regiment. 

COLUMBIA'S  GREETING  TO  CALIFORNIA. 

BY  W.   M.,   FIRST  REG'T  N.  Y.   S.  V. 

California,  awake  !  arise  !  'tis  time  to  sleep  no  more, 

The  bright  warm  sun  is  even  now  the  mountains  peeping  o'er'; 

Awake  !  the  night  is  speeding  fast,  the  clouds  have  passed  away, 

Already  break  the  first  faint  beams  of  the  fast  coming  day, 

And  yet,  though  dark  and  heavy  night  has  shrouded  o'er  the  mind, 

Fair  nature  in  material  things  has  bounteous  been  and  kind. 

Thy  sleep  was  in  defiance  of  each  rich  and  saving  boon, 

A  dull  and  deep  Siesta,  'neath  the  broad  full  light  of  noon  ! 

But  now  the  waking  hour  is  nigh,  we  come  to  set  thee  free, 

We  come  as  doth  the  else  unfruitful  sea, 

To  speed  upon  thy  bosom,  the  barks  of  wealth  and  peace, 

To  multiply  a  thousand  fold  the  bounteous  land's  increase  ; 

We  come  to  bring  thee  blessings  rare,  which  freedom's  age  hath  shed, 

Outgushing  rich  and  plenteous  as  a  mighty  river  head; 

We  come  to  scatter  then  abroad,  rich  seed,  which  sown,  shall  be, 

Productive  of  a  happy  race,  a  people  wise  and  free. 

Columbia  sends  her  people  on  a  message  unto  thee, 

She  would  that  you  were  happy,  she  would  that  ye  were  free  ; 

Receive  from  her,  her  people,  receive  from  her,  her  laws, 

Receive  from  her  the  spirit  of  His  great  and  glorious  cause, 

And  when  the  Future  shall  mature,  what  now  receives  its  birth, 

When  California  stands  among  the  mighty  powers  of  earth, 

When  knowledge,  Freedom,  and  the  arts,  have  bro't  forth  glorious  fruit. 

Each  rivaling  the  other  in  one  common  grand  pursuit. 

Then,  Calif ornians,  pause  to  think,  who  brought  these  blessings  rare, 

Think  who  it  was  first  pealed  the  note  of  freedom  on  the  air, 

And  you  will  learn  with  heartfelt  praise,  to  bless  the  happy  day, 

When  freedom  took  its  westward  flight  to  California. 

U.S.  TRANSPORT  SHIP,   "Loo  CHOO,"  Feb.  25,  1847. 

Andrew  J.  Cox  in  the  Napa  Register  of  October  n,  1879, 
says:  "When  Stevenson's  Regiment  arrived  at  San  Francisco,  in 
March,  1847,  there  were  only  four  practical  printers  in  California. 
They  were  Robert  Semple,  Edward  C.  Kemble,  Sam.  Brannan 
and  P.  H.  Dunne,  who  froze  his  feet  in  attempting  to  rescue  the 
Donner  party.  That  the  Regiment  added  13  more.  They 
were  Edward  Gilbert,  G.  C.  Hubbard,  Walter  Murray,  James 
O'Sullivan,  David  Norris,  B.  F.  Foster,  Joshua  Rand,  William 
J.  Weaver,  William  Layden,  Bela  Gushing,  Wm.  Slade,  J.  D.  Yates 
and  Andrew  J.  Cox.  Kemble  and  Yates  were  living  in  New 
York  in  1879,  Norris  and  Sullivan,  Brannan  and  Cox  were  living 
in  California  1879-80,  and  all  the  rest  are  dead  except,  perhaps, 
Weaver. 


.69 


RESCUE  OF  PRISONERS  OF  WAR  AT  SAN 
ANTONIO,  L.  C. 


CAPTAIN  STEELE'S  REPORT 

LA  PAZ  BARRACKS, 
Lower  California,  March  20,  1848. 

SIR:  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that,  in  compliance  with  your 
order,  I  took  command  of  the  mounted  force  destined  for  an  in 
cursion  into  the  interior.  On  the  i5th,  and  between  the  hours  of 
9  and  IO.P.  M.,  we  started.  On  examination,  I  found  our  whole 
force  consisted  of  27  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates, 
three  officers  (Surgeon  Alexander  Perry,  Acting  Lieut.  Scott,  B 
company  and  myself),  Lieut.  Halleck,  United  States  Engineers, 
who  kindly  volunteered  his  valuable  experience  and  services,  and 
Messrs.  Herman  Ehrenberg  and  Taylor,  residents  of  this  place, 
and  three  guides,  Calif ornians — (aggregate  34).  On  conferring 
with  the  officers,  we  were  unanimous  in  the  conclusion  to  pro 
ceed  with  all  possible  speed  direct  to  San  Antonio  (the  head 
quarters  of  the  enemy),  instead  of  attacking  the  advance  party 
at  the  ranche  of  Noviellas,  with  the  principal  object  of  rescuing 
the  American  prisoners  of  war  confined  there,  and  doing  all  else 
we  could. 

We  took  the  route  by  the  ranche  of  the  Tuscalamas.  Proceed 
ing  cautiously,  we  passed  an  outpost  of  some  fifty  men,  without 
being  observed  by  them,  and  reached  the  top  of  the  mountain, 
overlooking  and  eight  miles  distant  from  San  Antonio,  at  day 
light  on  the  following  morning,  where  we  captured  one  of  the 
"  enemy's  pickets,"  and  quickening  our  speed,  we  descended  and 
passed  up  the  arroyo  to  the  east  of  the  town,  and,  arranging  the 
men,  we  charged  into  the  town  at  full  speed.  A  small  party 
having  been  previously  detailed  to  secure  the  persons  of  the 
officers  of  the  enemy  ;  the  rest  were  directed  against  the  building 
occupied  as  a  cuartel  for  the  soldiers;  and  not  finding  any  there, 
one  of  the  liberated  captives  directed  my  attention  to  a  building 
on  the  other  side  of  the  arroyo,  to  the  east  of  the  town,  distant 
from  the  Plaza  about  150  yards,  and  commanding  it  (to  which  I 
afterwards  learned  the  soldiers  had  been  removed  but  the  dav 


yo 

previous,  thereby  deranging  all  our  previous  plans  of  attack), 
from  which,  with  a  small  force  of  the  enemy  drawn  up  in  front,  a 
brisk  fire  of  musketry  opened  upon  us. 

Having  first  gained  our  object  in  rescuing  our  men,  besides 
taking  two  of  their  officers  prisoners,  I  ordered  the  men  to  dis 
mount  and  rally  under  cover  of  the  church  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Plaza. 

The  party  sent  to  secure  the  officers  were  unsuccessful  in 
securing  the  commandant — (he  escaped  in  his  night  clothes, 
having  just  arisen  from  his  bed) — but  the  second  in  command, 
Captain  Calderon,  and  the  Adjutant  Lieutenant  Arsse,  were 
taken,  their  flag  and  the  private  and  public  papers  secured. 
When  a  sufficient  number  of  our  men  had  rallied,  we  sallied  out 
and  charged  the  enemy  in  position,  and  drove  them  in  all  direc 
tions  to  the  adjacent  hills,  killing  three  of  their  number  and 
wounding  seven  or  eight.  The  rout  of  their  force  being  com 
plete,  which  we  learned  amounted  to  some  fifty  men,  and  being 
too  tired  to  pursue  them,  we  collected  all  the  arms  they  aban 
doned  (some  thirty),  their  trumpet,  bullet-moulds,  etc.,  destroyed 
them  and  left  them  in  the  Plaza,  as  it  was  impossible  to  carry 
them  with  us. 

I  have  to  record  the  loss  of  one  of  our  number,  Sergeant 
Thomas  M.  Hipwood,  of  B  company,  who  fell  dead  in  the  charge, 
pierced  by  a  bayonet  and  two  balls.  "  A  better  and  a  truer  man 
never  fell  in  his  country's  service  or  the  performance  of  his  duty; 
and  his  loss  will  ever  be  lamented  by  those  who  knew  his  worth." 

Pantaloons,  cravats,  hats,  horses,  saddles,  attest  the  numerous 
narrow  escapes,  but  none  wounded. 

Not  more  than  half  an  hour  elapsed  before  we  were  on  our 
way  back.  We  halted  at  a  ranche  after  travelling  some  ten  miles 
(owing  to  the  accession  of  our  number  of  men,  and  but  one  or 
two  horses,  many  had  to  walk  that  distance),  for  the  first  time,  to 
refresh.  In  two  hours  we  were  on  our  way  again,  but  little 
recruited  in  strength.  Proceeding  slowly,  we  reached  the  moun 
tain  pass  of  Trincheras  a  little  before  sunset,  and  were  just  enter 
ing  an  arroyo,  bordered  by  elevated  banks  and  a  thick  growth 
of  underbrush,  when  a  fierce  fire  of  musketry  opened  upon  us  in 
front;  a  dismount  and  rally  in  front  was  but  the  work  of  an 
instant,  the  men  standing  fire  like  veterans.  I  ordered  the 
advance  guard  to  deploy  to  the  right  and  left,  who  drove  them 
from  tree  to  tree  and  hill  to  hill,  while  the  main  body  proceeded 


slowly,  leading  their  horses,  until  we  had  passed  the  dangerous 
ground,  when  we  mounted  and  took  a  different  road,  diverging 
to  the  right,  which  would  make  the  distance  much  further,  but 
the  travelling  much  safer. 

There  was  none  wounded  on  our  side.  One  of  the  captives, 
Captain  Chalderon,  received  a  severe  wound  from  a  rifle  ball  in 
the  right  breast  from  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  which  did  not  prevent 
his  riding,  however;  the  horses  received  several  wounds,  but  not 
so  as  to  disable  them.  The  loss  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  was 
some  five  or  six  killed  and  wounded.  We  continued  our  march, 
proceeded  some  three  miles  further,  when  our  rear  guard  was 
attacked;  but  on  firing  one  musket  at  them  they  scampered  off, 
and  scarcely  a  charge  ensued.  We  proceeded  cautiously,  but  our 
horses  were  getting  now  so  fatigued  that  they  would  lie  down, 
and  it  was  with  the  greatest  perseverance  and  exertion  that  we 
continued  advancing,  but  finally  arrived  at  the  barracks  on  the 
morning  of  the  iyth  at  2  p.  M. 

Having  accomplished  the  extraordinary  distance  of  120  miles 
(the  route  we  took)  in  less  than  thirty  hours  on  the  same  horses, 
with  but  little  food  or  refreshment,  stopping  but  once  to  feed, 
through  the  most  rocky  country  and  the  roughest  road  that  can 
be  travelled,  and  by  men,  many  of  them,  totally  unused  to  riding, 
and  without  any  previous  preparation,  I  cannot  express  in  terms 
too  commendatory  the  coolness  and  bravery  displayed  by  the 
men  of  my  command.  Acting  Lieutenant  Scott,  B  company, 
Sergeant  Peasley,  A  company,  and  Sergeant  Denniston,  B  com 
pany,  were  conspicuous. 

To  Surgeon  Alexander  Perry,  Lieutenant  Halleck,  United 
States  Engineers,  most  sincere  thanks  are  due  for  their  counsel' 
and  assistance.  And  to  Mr.  Herman  Ehrenberg,  "my  volunteer 
aid,"  to  say  that  he  fully  sustained  that  reputation  for  gallantry, 
coolness  and  bravery  that  has  been  awarded  to  him  on  former 
occasions,  is  enough.  x 

And  to  Luz,  Morano,  and  to  Juan  de  Dios  Talamantis,  our 
Californian  guides,  I  am  greatly  indebted;  their  bravery  and 
fidelity  deserve  to  be  duly  appreciated. 

Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

SEYMOUR  G.  STEELE, 
Captain  ist  New  York  Regiment,  commanding. 
To  Lieut.  Colonel  HENRY  S.  BURTON, 

United  States  Army,  commanding  U.  -S.  forces,  &c. 


[Letter  of  Col.  Stevenson  to  Col.  Mason  in  behalf  of  the  Men  of  his 
Regiment.] 

HKAD-QUARTERS  SOUTHERN  MILITARY  DISTRICT,  CALIFORNIA, 
Los  Angeles,  California,  August  20,  1848. 

SIR:  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
several  communications  of  the  8th,  and  proclamation  of  the  yth 
instant,  together  with  department  orders  Nos.  50  and  52,  announc 
ing  the  conclusion  of  a  treaty  of  peace  between  the  United  States 
and  Mexico,  and  containing  instructions  for  the  disbanding  of 
the  First  Regiment  New  York  Volunteers  under  my  command. 
Earnestly  as  all  have  desired  such  an  event,  the  very  sudden  and 
unexpected  termination  of  our  service  has  surprised  us  all,  and 
found  many  a  poor  fellow,  who  has  served  his  country  faithfully 
for  more  than  two  years,  without  a  dollar  beyond'  the  small 
amount  of  pay  that  will  be  due  them  at  the  time  of  their  dis 
charge;  and  if  they  pay  the  few  small  debts  they  owe  here,  they 
will  not  have  money  sufficient  to  buy  a  pair  of  shoes;  and  I  know 
that  many,  if  not  all  at  this  post,  possess  so  high  a  sense  of  honor 
that  they  would  go  barefooted  rather  than  leave  in  debt  to  any 
one  in  the  town.  Thank  God,  all  here  have  acted  honorably 
and  fairly  to  the  people  of  the  country,  and  I  trust  they  will  do 
so  to  the  end.  Yet,  hard  as  their  case  is,  they  do  not  complain 
of  the  want  of  anything  but  the  means  of  defence;  for  when  they 
are  disbanded,  not  ten  men  will  have  either  a  gun  or  pistol;  and 
I  assure  you,  great  fears  are  entertained,  and  not  without  just 
cause,  that  they  will  be  wanted,  as  well  for  their  defence  against 
Indians  as  against  some  miserable  wretches  of  the  country,  who 
already  threaten  not  only  to  attack  all  Americans,  but  the  fami 
lies  of  the  people  of  the  country  who  have  been  friendly  to  us. 
My  men  complain  that  the  Mormons  retained  their  arms,  and 
were  allowed  transportation  to  the  Salt  Lake,  for  seven  months* 
service,  and  supplied  with  twenty  rounds  of  cartridges  each, 
while  they,  who  have  served  more  than  two  years  and  travelled 
thousands  of  miles  on  the  ocean  to  come  here  in  the  service  of 
their  country,  are  to  be  discharged  without  an  arm  for  their  de 
fence,  or  a  dollar  of  commutation;  and  some  of  them  (the  last 
recruits)  had  their  arms  taken  from  them  at  Monterey,  which, 
unless  you  have  sent  them  down  in  the  "  Anita,"  they  will,  in  all 
human  probability,  never  receive.  Soon  after  I  arrived  in  this 
country,  in  a  frank  conversation  with  General  Kearny  on  this 


73 

very  subject,  he  assured  me  that  my  men  should  be  allowed  to 
retain  their  arms,  as  he  had  no  doubt  if  it  had  been  suggested  to 
the  authorities  at  home  before  sailing,  it  would  have  been  author 
ized,  as  they  were  in-tended  for,  and  would  become,  permanent 
residents  of  the  country.  He  said  he  made  the  stipulation  with 
the  Mormons,  and  he  felt  authorized  to  make  it  with  me  for  my 
men;  and  the  day  he  left  here  for  the  United  States  he  assured 
me  that  he  would  leave  such  instructions  with  you  as  would 
insure  'it.  A- very  large  number  of  my  men  here  must  remain 
until  they  can  raise  the  means  of  reaching  the  upper  country,  or 
go  up  on  foot;  which  would  be  a  most  toilsome  and  perilous 
journey,  unarmed  as  they  will  be.  Under  these  circumstances,  I 
have  deemed  it  my  duty  to  present  you  their  most  earnest  appeal 
that  you  will  allow  them  to  retain  their  arms,  and  that  fifteen 
days'  rations  of  such  stores  as  are  at  the  post  may  be  served 
out  to  them  on  the  day  they  are  disbanded.  They  would 
not  ask  this  favor  of  the  Government  if  they  could  in  any  manner 
dispose  of  the  land  or  money  scrip.  I  present  this,  their  petition, 
most  cheerfully,  because  I  feel  that  they  more  than  deserve  it  at 
the  hands  of  their  Government;  for  no  soldiers,  either  regulars 
or  volunteers,  have  ever  surpassed  them  in  correct,  honorable 
and  manly  deportment,  or  in  a  most  faithful  and  diligent  dis 
charge  of  the  duty  required  of  them  as  soldiers. 

I   have    the   honor   to    be,    very   respectfully,    your    obedient 
servant, 

J.  D.  STEVENSON, 
Colonel  1st  New  York  Regiment, 
Commanding  Southern  Military  District. 

To  Colonel  R.  B.  MASON, 

ist   United  States  Dragoons,  Gorernor  of  Calif orjiia. 


[Extract  from  Letter  of  Col.  Mason  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  Army. 

HEAD-QUARTERS,  TENTH  MILITARY  DEPARTMENT, 
MONTEREY,  CALIFORNIA,  June  17,  1848. 


This  regiment,  you  are  aware,  had  been  strung  from  Sonoma 
in  the  north  to  San  Jose,  in  Lower  California,  during  their  whole 


74 

time  of  service  in  this  quarter.  The  companies  stationed  at 
La  Paz  (Steele's  and  Matsell's)  held  that  town  for  many  weeks 
against  four  times  their  numbers;  and  the  very  moment  they 
were  reinforced  by  Naglee's  company  with  additional  recruits, 
they  took  the  field  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Burton,  routed  the  enemy,  completely  dispersed  them,  and  restored 
peace  to  the  peninsula.  Colonel  Burton  speaks  highly  of  the 
courage  and  coolness  of  his  men  and  officers  under  fire  ; 
and  I  refer  you  to  his  report  for  individual  acts  of  gallantry. 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Burton,  throughout  his  whole  conduct 
whilst  in  command  of  the  forces  in  Lower  California, 
completely  executed  his  instructions,  which  were  based  upon 
the  orders  from  the  War  Department  ;  and  as  his  reports 
and  copies  of  his  instructions  are  already  in  your  office,  I 
need  only  add  my  present  approval  of  his  conduct.  He  is 
now  on  duty  at  this  place,  in  command  of  his  company  F,  3d 
Artillery. 

Colonel  J.  D.  Stevenson,  since  April,  1847,  has  been  in  com 
mand  of  the  district  of  country  embracing  Santa  Barbara,  Los 
Angeles,  and  San  Diego,  has  by  energy  and  good  management, 
maintained  most  excellent  discipline  amongst  his  men,  and  has 
preserved  harmony  amongst  the  population  of  that  district,  which 
is  composed  mostly  of  the  native  Californians.  This  required 
peculiar  tact  and  firmness — qualities  possessed  by  him  in  a  pecu 
liar  degree.  I  will  warrant  that  at  no  previous  time  in  that  dis 
trict  were  life  and  property  so  secure,  the  magistrates  of  the 
country  so  effectually  supported,  and  industry  so  encouraged,  as 
during  the  past  two  years;  one  common  cry  of  regret  arose  at 
the  order  for  their  disbandment;  the  little  petty  causes  of  com 
plaint  were  forgotten  in  the  remembrance  of  the  more  substan 
tial  advantages  they  had  enjoyed  under  the  protection  of  the 
military.  Subalterns  and  men  are  entitled  to  share  with  their 
commander  the  honor  due  for  this  creditable  state  of  feeling 
on  the  part  of  a  people  nominally  conquered.  That  part 
of  California  lying  on  the  bay  of  San  Francisco  has  been 
under  the  command  of  the  Major  of  this  regiment, 
James  A.  Hardie,  who  has  effectually  aided  the  civil 
authorities,  dispelled  the  fears  of  the  threatened  Indian 
incursions,  and  guarded  the  heavy  depot  at  San  Francisco — 
duties  which  were  performed  to  the  best  advantage  with  the 
limited  force  at  his  command.  His  officers  and  men  were  gen- 


75 

erally  attentive  to  their  duties,  and  anxious  to  serve  the  United 
States. 

******* 

R.  B.  MASON, 

Colonel  ist  Dragoons,  Commanding. 
To  Brig.  Gen.  R.  JONES. 

Adjutant  General,   U.S.  Army,   Washington,  D.C. 


[Extract  from  letter  of  Lieut.  Sherman  to  Lieut.  Colonel  Burton.] 

HEAD-QUARTERS  TENTH  MILITARY  DEPARTMENT, 
MONTEREY,  CALIFORNIA,  June  iyth,  1848. 


I  take  great  pleasure  in  communicating  to  you  Colonel  Mason's 
great  satisfaction^  hearing  of  your  dispersing  the  enemy's  forces 
at  Todos  Santos,  and  of  the  previous  rescue  of  the  American 
prisoners  at  San  Antonio,  by  the  party  under  the  immediate  com 
mand  of  Captain  Steele,  First  New  York  Volunteers.  These 
operations  were  alike  creditable  in  their  conception  and  execu 
tion. 

Colonel  Mason  wishes  you  to  convey  to  the  officers  and  men 
under  your  command  his  thanks  for  their  gallantry  and  good 
conduct  displayed  on  those  occasions. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant. 

W.  T.  SHERMAN, 

ist  Lieut,  jd  Artillery,  A.  A.  A.  General. 

To  Lieutenant  Colonel  H.  S.  BURTON, 

Commanding  in  Lower  California. 


[Extract  from  a  letter  written  by  General  Nelson  Taylor,  of  South  Norwalk, 
Conn.  Many  of  the  facts  related  in  the  letter  of  General  Taylor  having  already 
appeared  in  other  parts  of  this  work,  are  omitted  here.] 

SOUTH  NORWALK,  CONN.,  February  ist,  1882. 

FRIEND  CLARK — In  response  to  your  request,  asking  for  in 
formation  in  relation  to  our  old  regiment,  or  more  particularly, 
that  portion  of  the  command  with  which  I  served,  has  been 


76 

received,  and  I  will  endeavor  to  comply  with  your  wishes,  not 
withstanding  thirty-five  years  have  nearly  elapsed  since  our  dis 
charge  from  the  service  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  only  memory  to 
rely  upon. 


During  the  summer  of  1848  an  order  was  received  by  Col.  R. 
B.  Mason,  commanding  Tenth  Military  Department,  from  the 
War  Department,  directing  that  Col.  Stevenson's  regiment  should 
be  designated  thereafter  the  "  First  Regiment  New  York  Volun 
teers,"  instead  of  the  Seventh,  as  heretofore.  This  fact  was  never 
generally  known  outside  of  California,  and  the  regiment,  subse 
quently  organized  and  commanded  by  Colonel  Ward  B.  Burnett, 
which  served  in  Mexico,  has  always  been  known  as  the  First 
Regiment  New  York  Volunteers,  when  it  should  have  been  desig 
nated  as  the  Second,  and  was  so  designated  in  an  official  order 
issued  by  the  War  Department*  in  1847.  There  were  but  two 
regiments  organized  in  the  State  of  New  York  during  the  Mexi 
can  war,  ours  being  the  First. 

On  the  night  of  December  yth,  1847,  a  casualty  occurred  at 
Los  Angeles  which  cast  a  gloom  over  the  entire  garrison,  and  so 
impressed  the  commander,  that  its  influence  seemed  to  be  felt  to 
the  end  of  the  organization.  An  old  lady  called  on  the  Colonel 
that  afternoon,  and  informed  him  that  a  large  body  of  Californians 
had  organized,  and  intended  to  attempt  the  re-taking  of  the  city 
that  night.  Being  the  officer  of  the  day,  I  was  summoned  to  the 
Colonel's  quarters  and  informed  of  the  substance  of  the  lady's 
story,  and,  as  a  consequence,  special  vigilance  was  enjoined  on  the 
officer  of  the  guard  and  each  sentry  on  post.  At  midnight  I 
visited  the  guard,  as  also  each  sentry  on  post,  and  finding  every 
thing  quiet,  and  believing  this  story  to  be  as  groundless  as  a 
hundred  other  similar  ones  which  had  preceded  it,  I  went  to  my 
quarters,  and  in  about  twenty  minutes,  certainly  not  more  than 
half  an  hour  afterwards,  I  was  brought  suddenly  to  my  feet  by 
the  report  of  a  terrible  explosion.  Believing  that  an  attack  had 
actually  been  made,  the  whole  command  were  promptly  got 
under  arms  at  the  tparracks;  and  after  waiting  a  reasonable  time, 
and  hearing  nothing  further,  I  proceeded  to  the  guard-house, 
situated  on  a  side  hill  overlooking  the  city,  and  never  will  the  sad 
spectacle  which  presented  itself  to  my  view,  as  I  approached  its 
precincts,  be  forgotten.  The  night  *was  quite  dark,  and  before  I 


77 

could  fairly  see  what  had  occurred,  I  was  startled  with  the  sound 
of  voices  giving  expression  to  the  most  intense  suffering,  and,  on 
approaching  nearer,  I  found  a  portion  of  the  guard-house  blown 
down;  one  or  two  men  were  lying  dead  on  the  ground;  a  number 
slightly,  a  number  seriously,  and  two  or  three  mortally  injured, 
and  the  remainder  in  the  greatest  confusion. 

On  an   investigation    it  was   ascertained  that  private  Earl,  of 
Company  E,  on  post    a    short   distance  from   the   guard-house, 
challenged   a  horseman,  who  made  a  response,  but  continued  to 
ride  towards  the  sentry,  when  the  challenge  was  repeated  with  no 
better  success,  and,  thinking  an  attempt  was  being  made  to  ride 
him  down,  Earl  fired  his  musket  and  retreated  towards  the  guard 
house.     The  report  of  the  gun  having  been  heard  at  the  guard 
house,  the  guard  was  promptly  turned  out   and   formed,  when  a 
soldier   of   Company  G  lighted  a   port  fire   to   use  on  a  piece  of 
artillery  stationed   at   the   guard-house,  if  the  emergency  of  the 
case    demanded.     The    officer   of  the   guard    retained   the   men 
under  arms   until   he   satisfied   himself  that  Earl's  horseman  was 
an   imaginary  one,  or  that   he   had   been  frightened  away  by  the 
shot   from  Earl's  musket,  when  he  ordered   the    ranks    broken, 
and  directed  the  man  with  the  port  fire  to  extinguish  and  return 
it   to  the  arm  chest  from  whence  it  had  been  taken.     The  arm. 
chest  was  kept   in   the  room  of  the  officer  of  the  guard,  and  was 
well  filled  with   amunition.      The   man,  not   understanding    the 
almost   impossibility  of  extinguishing  a  lighted  port  fire  without 
cutting  off  the  lighted  end,  stamped  it  until  it  was  black,  and,  as 
he  doubtless  thought,  extinguished  the  fire,  when   he   threw   it 
back   into   the  chest,  and  closed   the  lid.     In  a  very  few  minutes 
the   hidden   spark  rekindled,  fired  and  exploded   the  amunition, 
causing  the   painful  and   distressing  scene  which  ensued.     The 
poor  fellow,  who  had  so  unwittingly  caused  the  sad  casualty,  was 
not  found  until  the  next  day;  he  had  paid  the  full  penalty  of  his 
ignorance  or  carelessness,  or  both.     The  loss  in  men  fell  on  Com 
pany  G  of  our  regiment,  and  Company  C,  Hirst  U.  S.  Dragoons. 
Three  or  four  of  Company  E  were  injured,  and  they  but  slightly. 


In  closing  this  brief  sketch  of  my  recollection  of  that  portion 
of  the  regiment  with  which  I  served,  it  is  my  desire  to  pay  a  well 
merited  tribute  to  a  worthy  officer,  that  was  the  Colonel  of  the 
regiment,  Jonathan  D.  Stevenson. 


78 

Doubtless,  with  the  experience  he  now  has,  if  called  upon  to 
organize  and  command  another  regiment  he  would  leave  undone 
many  things  which  he  felt  called  upon  to  do,  and  do  many  others 
which  he  left  undone.  Such,  I  believe  to  be  the  feeling  of  most 
men  having  had  the  experience  of  organizing  and  commanding 
regiments;  but  upon  a  careful  review  of  his  colonelcy,  I  entertain 
the  opinion  that  few  volunteer  officers  who  served  during  the 
Mexican  war,  acquitted  themselves  with  more  advantage  to  the 
Government,  or  greater  credit  to  themselves, 

It  is  true  he  performed  no  brilliant  military  achievement  in  the 
field,  where  honor  is  sought  at  the  cannon's  mouth;  his  lines 
happened  to  fall  in  more  pleasant  places;  yet,  if  occasion  had 
called  for  it,  and  opportunity  offered,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that 
his  field  services  would  have  been  as  distinguished  and  credita 
ble  as  was  his  civil  administration  satisfactory  to  the  citizens  of 
his  military  district.  To  his  superior  administrative  and  execu 
tive  ability  is  due,  in  my  humble  opinion,  the  peace  and  good 
order  that  prevailed  so  uninterruptedly  throughout  the  lower 
portion  of  Upper  California  after  he  assumed  the  command  of 
that  district. 

His  intercourse  with  those  who  were  brought  in  contact  with 
him  officially  or  otherwise,  was  ever  characterized  with  the  easy 
and  agreeable  courtesy  which  betokens  a  well-bred  gentleman, 
and  which  deservedly  made  him  popular,  both  with  the  soldiers 
of  his  command  and  the  citizens  of  his  military  district. 

It  is  many  years  since  it  was  my  good  pleasure  to  meet  the 
Colonel,  whom,  I  learn,  stiil  remains  a  citizen  of  the  Golden 
State,  and  which  he  has  never  left  for  a  single  day,  since  he  first 
landed  on  its  shores  in  command  of  our  regiment.  Let  him 
reside  where  he  may,  he  has  my  best  wishes  for  all  the  worldly 
prosperity  and  mental  contentment  which  can  fall  to  the  lot  of 
man. 

Truly  yours,  NELSON  TAYLOR, 

Formerly  Captain  Co.  E. 

The  military  forces  in  Cal.  in  April,  1847,  were  about  as  folows: 
One  Company  ist  U.  S.  Dragoons,         ...  88  men. 

One  Company  3d  U.  S.  Artillery,  107  men. 

Ten  Companies  N.  Y.  Volunteers,  -         550  men. 

Five  Companies  Mormon  Battalion,     -  314  men. 

Total, 1,059 


79 


MEXICAN  CALIFORNIA. 

The  following  chapter  from  a  work  recently  published  by  Major 
Bell,  entitled  "Reminiscences  of  a  Ranger,"  gives  to  those  who 
are  unfamiliar  with  California  prior  to  its  acquisition  by  the 
Americans,  a  truthful  account  of  the  simple,  pastoral  life  of  its 
inhabitants.  Major  Bell  says: 

"  If  T  am  correct,  before  the  coming  of  the  gringo  in  '46,  the 
Mexican  province  of  California  contained  a  population  of  30,000, 
not  counting  the  Indians.  This  population  extended  along  the 
coast  from  San  Diega  to  Sonoma,  a  distance  of  say  600  miles. 
There  being  only  a  few  towns,  San  Diego  being  first,  then  Los 
Angeles,  Santa  Barbara,  San  Luis,  Obispo,  Monterey,  Santa  Cruz, 
San  Jose,  Yerba  Buena,  and  last  of  all,  going  north,  Sonoma. 
Los  Angeles  was  the  largest,  containing  a  population  of  about 
2,000.  Next  came  Santa  Barbara  and  Monterey,  mere  villages. 
Now,  it  is  quite  easy  for  the  reader  to  perceive  that  the  major 
part  of  the  population  dwelt  on  the  ranchos.  These  ranchos 
ranged  in  size  from  one  to*  eleven  leagues — that  is,  in  round 
numbers,  from  five  thousand  to  fifty  thousand  acres.  The  owner 
of  each  rancho  possessed  from  one  thousand  to  ten  thousand 
head  of  horned  cattle,  and  from  one  or  two  hundred  to  three  or 
four  thousand  head  of  horses,  broken  and  bronco.  The  country, 
even  when  the  value  of  a  bullock  was  his  hide,  tallow  and  horns, 
was  prosperous,  and  money  plenty.  The  rancheros  dressed  well, 
were  well  housed,  and  had  an  abundance  of  store — home  produce 
and  foreign  importation. 

"  The  hospitality  of  the  California  ranchero  was  a  proverb.  A 
person,  though  he  may  have  been  a  stranger  to  the  country  born, 
could  start  from  San  Diego  and  journey  to  Sonoma  without  it 
costing  him  a  dollar,  and  be  furnished  with  a  fresh  horse  at  every 
rancho,  leaving  instead  the  one  of  the  previous  day's  ride.  Such 
a  thing  as  charging  a  traveler  for  what  he  received  would  have 
been  considered  an  act  of  excessive  meanness.  The  social  inter 
course  and  amusements  of  these  isolated  people  were  in  keeping 
with  their  situation.  Religious  fiestas  were  celebrated  at  the 
Pueblos  and  Missions  with  great  pomp  and  ceremony,  and 
afforded  a  pleasant  recreation  and  relief  from  the  monotony  of 
ranch  life.  When  the  daughter  of  a  ranchero  married,  the  family 
either  gave  a  grand  fiesta  at  the  rancho  or  a  baile  at  the  Pueblo  or 


8o 


Mission,  to  which  the  whole  country  were  invited,  except  the 
lower  classes,  and  to  which  the  people  came  sometimes  a  distance 
of  forty  leagues  or  more,  families  traveling  in  their  elaborately 
fixed  up  carretas,  and  the  beaux  transporting  the  belles  before 
them  on  their  elegant  saddles,  the  bean  occupying  a  seat  on  the 
croup,  with  his  bridle  arm  resting  on  the  shoulder  of  his  fair 
passenger,  or  encircling  her  slender  waist.  While  the  families 
were  absent  on  these  social  expeditions  nothing  would  go  amiss 
on  the  ranchos.  The  major-domo  and  the  Indian  vaqueros 
would  look  out  for  the  herds  as  though  the  patron  were  present; 
the  grass  would  grow  and  the  cattle  would  thrive  and  multiply. 
These  marriage  feasts  would  be  of  three  or  four  days'  duration. 
Dancing  at  night  and  horse  racing  during  the  day,  and  generally 
winding  up  with  bull-fighting.  The  religious  feasts,  celebrated 
at  the  churches,  were  brilliant,  pompous,  expensive  and  imposing, 
the  most  important  of  which  were  the  feast  of  the  Holy  Week, 
Corpus  Christi  and  St.  John's  Day.  the  latter  being  devoted,  to 
cock-fighting  and  kindred  amusements,  one  of  which  was  to  take 
a  live  cock,  and,  after  plucking  the  feathers  from  and  thoroughly 
greasing  his  neck,  his  body  would  be  buried  in  the  middle  of  the 
street  or  road,  the  greased  neck  alone  being  exposed  above  the 
ground.  Now,  the  game  was  to  dash  past  the  buried  cock  at  full 
speed  on  horseback,  and  lean  over  and  seize  the  neck  and  pull 
the  cock  from  the  ground — a  most  difficult  performance.  The 
feast  of  Corpus  Christi  was  one  of  peculiar  religious  observance 
— one  of  processions,  parades  and  displays.  The  feast  of  the 
Holy  Week  always  ended  with  a  tragedy  on  the  Saturday  of 
Glory,  in  the  annual  execution  of  that  eminent  traitor,  Judas 
Iscariot,  which  was  done  by  first  erecting  a  gibbet;  then' an  effigy 
of  Judas  was  brought  forth  from  an  imaginary  prison,  mounted 
on  a  cart,  with  the  arms  pinioned,  and  being  guarded  by  a  file  of 
soldiers,  was  drawn  around  the  plaza  and  principal  streets,  fol 
lowed  by  the  excited  crowd,  hooted  at,  insulted  and  pelted  by 
the  boys  and  others,  and  finally,  in  a  most  dilapidated  and  dis 
graceful  condition,  was  halted  in  front  of  the  gibbet.  Now,  an 
orator  from  the  crowd  comes  forward  and  delivers  a  solemn  lec 
ture  to  Judas,  and  gives  him  fits,  makes  his  bow  and  retires,  and 
is  succeeded  by  another  orator,  who  gives  Judas  another  berat 
ing,  and  accuses  him  of  crimes  so  contemptible  and  manifold 
that,  as  an  impartial  judge,  one  feels  constrained  to  take  sides 
with  the  old  sinner,  and  declare  one's  utter  disbelief  in  those 


8i 

divers  and  many  crimes  charged  against  him — such,  for  instance, 
as  robbing  hen-roosts,  of  stealing  old  clothes,  of  dealing  cards 
unfairly  in  the  national  game  of  monte,  of  being  a  cheat,  a  vaga 
bond,  Jew,  and  worst  of  all,  a  gringo.  Poor  old  Judas  stands  this 
without  a  word  of  denial,  and  by  standing  mute  is  deemed  to 
have  pleaded  guilty,  is  taken  from  the  cart,  raised  to  and  bound 
on  the  gibbet.  The  crowd  again  commence  to  insult  and  pelt 
him,  all  of  which  old  Judas  endures  without  a  word  of  remon 
strance;  stands  like  a  martyr.  The  tragedy  is  about  to  end  as 
the  shades  of  eve  fall  upon  the  scene. 

Now  we  hear  the  strains  of  martial  music,  the  solemn  tap  of 
the  drum,  and  the  heavy  tramp  of  military  feet,  as  a  platoon  of 
infantry  file  into  line  and  halt  in  front  of  the  doomed  traitor. 
Now  the  judgment  of  the  court  is  read  and  the  death  warrant 
recited,  and  Judas  is  given  an  opportunity  to  speak  for  himself, 
but  remains  as  mute  as  a  dead  mutton,  which  is  taken  as  an 
acknowledgement  that  the  judgment  is  just,  and  that  he  ought  to 
die.  Now  the  military  commander  orders  his  men  to  "  load! 
shoulder  arms!  ready!  aim!  fire!  "  and  poor  Judas,  for  the  eigh 
teen  hundredth  time  or  more  suffers  a  public  execution.  The 
volley  riddles  him.  Then  "load  and  fire  at  will,"  and  the  sol 
diers  take  huge  delight  in  firing  at  Judas  until  there  is  not  a  piece 
of  him  left  large  enough  for  a  cigar  wrapper.  In  the  meantime 
the  band  plays,  the  crowd  yell  and  hoot  in  triumphant  glee,  and 
Judas  is  sent  to  the  devil  until  Saturday  the  year  coming,  when 
he  is  again  disposed  of  in  the  same  way. 

After  the  gringo  nation  had  nailed  its  flag  to  the  mast  in  this 
angel  land,  the  ceremonies  attending  the  annual  execution  of 
Judas  became  less  inspiriting  and  satisfactory,  because  of  there 
being  no  military  to  blow  the  old  traitor  into  the  next  year. 

Some  of  the  great  ranchos  of  the  country  were  baronial  in  their 
extent  and  surroundings.  Their  proprietors  being  great  digni 
taries,  maintaining  large  numbers  of  vassals — for  such  really  they 
were — mostly  Indians,  who,  under  Mexican  major-domos,  did  all 
of  the  labor  for  the  ranch.  The  chief  major-domo,  under  the 
immediate  direction  of  the  patron,  had  entire  supervision  of  the 
business;  then  there  was  the  major-domo  de  la  casa,  or  steward; 
the  major-domo  del  campo  had  charge  of  the  vaqueros,  or 
mounted  herders  in  the  field;  the  major-domo  de  las  caponeras 
had  full  control  of  the  gentle  horses;  the  major-domo  de  las 
mandas  was  in  charge  of  thousands  of  wild  mares  and  their  foals, 
6 


82 

and  attended  to  the  branding  of  colts,  others  to  the  marking  and 
branding  of  cattle.  There  were  hair-rope  and  halter  makers, 
others  who  made  cinches  or  broad  hair  girths,  makers  of  raw 
hide  riatas,  the  curers  of  hides,  the  triers  out  of  tallow,  the 
hewers  of  wood  and  the  carreta  men,  all  of  whom  amounted  to 
hundreds  of  people  dependent  upon  the  ranchero  or  lord  of  the 
manor.  At  morn  you  hear  the  clatter  of  horses'  feet  and  the 
jingling  of  spurs,  as  the  mounted  men,  hat  in  hand,  report  for 
duty  to  the  major-domo-in-chief,  and  then,  in  detachments, 
dash  off  at  a  full  gallop  in  all  directions  to  their  respective 
duties.  By  this  time  coffee  is  served  in  the  dining-hall,  and  the 
patron,  members  of  his  household,  and  guests  take  their  morning 
cup.  At  nine  or  ten  o'clock  the  vaqueros  begin  to  return  from 
the  field,  and  a  herd  of  gentle  horses  are  driven  into  the  corral, 
fresh  ones  are  caught,  and  those  of  the  day  before  are  turned 
loose,  maybe  not  to  be  used  again  for  a  week;  the  fresh  ones  are 
saddled,  and  then  the  under  major-domos  report  to  the  chief,  who 
in  turn,  hat  in  hand,  reports  to  the  patron,  and  then  the  whole 
ranch,  goes  to  breakfast,  which  being  disposed  of,  the  duties  of 
the  day  are  resumed. 


[The  following  extract,  taken  from  the  work  entitled  "  The  Natural  Wealth 
of  California,"  by  Titus  Fey  Cronise,  published  at  San  Francisco  in  1868, 
twenty  years  subsequent  to  the  disbandment  of  the  regiment,  thus  speaks  of 
the  character  established  in  later  years  by  the  former  members  of  Col.  Stevenson's 
regiment.  It  says:] 

"  Another  valuable  accession  to  the  early  settlers  was  made  by 
the  arrival  of  Colonel  Stevenson's  Regiment  of  California  volun 
teers,  consisting  of  nearly  one  thousand  rank  and  file,  in  anticipa 
tion  of  movements  which  were  subsequently  developed.  In  1846 
President  Polk  authorized  Colonel  J.  D.  Stevenson  to  raise  a 
regiment  of  infantry  volunteers  in  New  York,  for  the  purpose  of 
protecting  the  interests  of  the  United  States  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
The  men  comprising  this  regiment  were  selected  particularly 
with  the  object  of  their  becoming  settlers  in  the  country;  many 
of  them  have  become  permanent  and  honored  citizens  of  the 
State.  In  its  ranks,  as  privates,  were  sons  of  senators  and  repre 
sentatives  in  Congress,  lawyers,  doctors,  editors,  printers,  and 
representatives  of  nearly  every  trade,  who  were  all  permitted  to 


83 

bring  tools  and  material  for  carrying  on  their  respective  occupa 
tions — being  in  striking  contrast  to  the  soldiers  sent  here  by  the 
Mexican  Government,  who  were  generally  the  worst  convicts 
from  the  jails,  and  such  refractory,  turbulent  characters  as  it  was 
most  desirable  to  get  rid  of. 

The  California  regiment  left  New  York  on  the  26th  of  October* 
1846,  on  board  the  ships,  "  Thomas  H.  Perkins,"  "  Loo  Choo," 
and  "  Susan  Drew."  The  first  division,  under  command  of  Colonel 
Stevenson,  on  board  the  "Thomas  H.  Perkins,"  arrived  at  San 
Francisco  March  6th,  1847.  The  regiment  was  mustered  out  of 
service  in  the  summer  of  1848.  Nearly  three  hundred  of  its 
members  were  alive,  in  California,  in  July,  1867.  Among  its 
commissioned  officers  were  Captain  Folsom,  Lieutenant  Harrison 
and  Captain  Taylor,  whose  names  are  connected  with  streets 
formed  on  land  they  acquired.  Captains  H.  M.  Naglee  and  J. 
B.  Frisbie  held  prominent  positions  in  the  history  of  the  State. 
W.  E.  Shannon,  the  delegate  from  Sacramento  to  the  State  Con 
stitutional  Convention,  was  Captain  of  Company  I  of  this 
regiment.  The  volunteer  service  of  the  United  States  has  been 
honored  by  the  exemplary  conduct  of  the  members  of  Col.  Stevenson  s 
regiment" 


The  following  account  of  the  explosion  of  the  magazine  at  Los 
Angeles,  Cal.,  is  furnished  by  Col.  John  McH.  Hollinsworth,  from 
a  journal  kept  by  him  while  on  duty  at  that  post: 

"  DECEMBER  QTH,  1847. 

"  The  magazine  has  blown  up  and  killed  some  of  our  brave 
fellows.  We  were  informed  by  native  Californians,  friendly  to 
our  cause,  that  we  should  be  attacked  last  night.  Accordingly, 
every  preparation  was  made  to  receive  the  enemy.  When  night 
came  on  I  felt  very  anxious,  and,  though  not  on  duty,  and  no 
responsibility  resting  upon  me,  yet  I  could  not  sleep.  At  mid 
night  I  put  on  my  side  arms,  and,  in  company  with  Captain 
Stevenson,  patroled  the  town.  We  met  Sergeant  Travers  of 
the  guard,  one  of  my  company,  going  around  with  a  patrol,  to 
see  if  all  was  right.  He  halted  us,  and,  upon  recognizing  who 

*  The  author  is  in  error — the  month  was  September.  He  also  omits  mention  of  the 
subsequent  arrivals  of  ships  "  Brutus,"  "  Isabella,"  and  "Sweden,"  with  detachments  of  the 
regiment. 


84 

we  were,  made  the  customary  salute.  I  had  not  long  returned  to 
our  quarters,  when  we  heard  the  report  of  a  musket  from  the 
furthermost  outpost  of  the  redoubt.  Another  report  followed  in 
rapid  succession,  and  then  a  bright  blaze  lit  up  the  heavens,  fol 
lowed  by  a  deafening  roar,  which  seemed  to  come  from  the  centre 
of  our  guard.  Meanwhile  we  heard  the  drum  rolling,  and  horses 
moving  around  our  quarters.  We  armed  ourselves,  and  passed 
out  the  back  way,  concluding  we  were  surrounded,  and  must  fight 
our  way  out.  I  opened  the  gate.  No  one  was  there;  but  I 
passed  as  rapidly  and  silently  as  I  could  along  the  shadow  of  the 
wall,  to  reach  my  company,  for,  as  no  one  doubted  but  that  the 
long  expected  attack  had  come.  Horsemen  were  riding  up  and 
down  the  street  in  every  direction.  I  looked  back  to  see  if  any 
one  was  following,  and  found  my  Captain  (Stevenson)  next  to 
me,  with  his  broad,  white  belt  passed  across  his  shoulder  and 
breast.  I  advised  him  to  take  it  off  instantly,  unless  he  wished 
to  be  a  target  for  the  enemy's  bullets.  Upon  reaching  the  com 
pany  it  pressed  forward;  we- were  at  the  same  moment  joined  by 
Captain  Nelson  Taylor  and  his  men,  and  together  we  ran  up  the 
hill.  All  was  still  and  dark  when  we  set  off,  and  we  asked  each 
other,  'Had  the  guard  been  overpowered?  or  had  the  ground 
been  undermined  and  all  blown  into  the  air? '  As  we  neared  the 
scefte  of  action,  a  spectacle  presented  itself  which  I  hope  never 
again  to  witness.  The  magazine  had  been  opened  to  man  the 
battery,  when  a  spark  from  a  port  fire  had  fallen  into  it,  through 
the  carelessness  of  one  of  the  men.  The  groans  and  shrieks  of 
the  wounded  and  dying,  the  shouting  of  the  officers  to  the  men, 
and  the  incessant  roll  of  the  drum,  while  everything  was  envel 
oped  in  a  dense  cloud  of  smoke,  formed  a  terrible  scene  of  con 
fusion.  I  heard  the  Colonel  calling  for  me  to  take  command  of 
a  party  of  soldiers  who  had  already  dug  seven  bodies  out  of  the 
ruins.  I  hastily  collected  some  men  to  convey  the  injured  to  the 
hospital.  Three  of  them  were  burnt  to  a  crisp,  three  burnt  black, 
but  with  life  still  left,  calling  upon  God  to  give  them  back  their 
eyesight,  which  was  gone  forever  It  was  thought  at  the  time 
that  at  least  twenty  men  were  killed.  All  were  knocked  down 
who  were  near,  though  many  were  unharmed  by  it.  The  guard- 
chair,  where  I  had  so  often  sat,  was  shattered  into  a  thousand 
atoms.  The  Lieutenant,  although  not  in  the  chair  at  the  time, 
was  thrown  some  distance,  but  picked  up  unhurt.  I  saw  a  dra 
goon  dug  out  from  under  the  wall  of  the  guard-house.  He  lived 


85 

but  a  few  minutes.  I  heard  one  of  the  poor  fellows  calling  for 
Lieut.  H.;  I  went  to  him  directly,  and,  though  burnt  black,  I 
instantly  recognized  the  poor  Sergeant  (Travers)  I  had  met  but 
an  hour  before.  He  said:  *  Lieutenant,  tell  me,  as  a  man,  can  I 
live  until  morning? '  I  told  him  I  hoped  to  see  him  get  well. 
One  of  the  men  said:  '  The  iron  hinge  of  the  magazine  chest  is 
driven  into  his  body.'  I  said,  'Hush;  do  not  alarm  him.'  The 
poor  man  said:  '  Lieutenant,  you  cannot  deceive  me;  I  am  mor 
tally  wounded;  I  have  lost  my  leg;  my  eyes  are  gone,  all  is  dark 
to  me.  Oh,  that  my  poor  mother  were  here  to  pray  for  me!  ' 
He  then  said:  '  Doctor,  I  am  sleepy;  if  I  go  to  sleep  will  I  wake 
again?'  The  doctor  said,  'It  is  doubtful.'  Travers  then  said: 
*  Do  not  frighten  my  wife;  tell  her  to  be  a  good  girl;  I  die 
content.'  "  • 


[From  the  Daily  Examiner  (San  Francisco),  March  27th,  1872. 
TWENTY-FIFTH   ANNIVERSARY. 


STEVENSON'S   REGIMENT    REUNITED. 


The  Twenty-fifth  Anniversary  of  the  landing  of  that  famous 
body  of  pioneers,  Stevenson's  Regiment,  was-  celebrated  last 
evening  at  Martin's  Restaurant.  The  following  survivors  were 
present  :  Colonel  Jonathan  D.  Stevenson.  Co.  A — Frederick  L. 
Post,  John  Flood,  Joseph  McDonough,  James  O'Sullivan, 
Edward  Barthrop,  J.  P.  Hawkins.  Co.  B — James  E.  Nuttman, 
Patrick  Lynch,  James  W.  Melvin,  Lieut.  Thomas  E.  Ketchum. 
Co.  C— Adolphus  G.  Russ,  A.  J.  Cox,  James  G.  Dow.  Co.  D— 
William  S.  Johnson,  James  Sirey,  Frank  P.  Anderson,  Charles 
Rosseau.  Co.  E — Castor  Briggs,  Major  John  M.  O'Neill,  Ezekiel 
Bullock,  Henry  J.  Wolgemuth.  Co.  F — Sergeant  James  Queen, 
Emil  A.  Engelberg,  Peter  Sesser.  Co.  G — James  H.  Adams, 
John  Kleinschroth,  Robert  Wilson,  Frederick  Coyan.  Co.  H— 
Captain  John  B.  Frisbie,  Sergeant  Eleazar  Frisbie,  George  N. 
Cornwall,  Alfred  Guthrie.  Co.  I— George  J.  Graff.  Co.  K— 
None.  Dr.  William  C.  Parker,  Surgeon  ;  James  C.  L.  Wads- 
worth,  Clerk  to  Sutler ;  John  Q.  Adams,  "  at  Large." 


86       ' 

Letters  were  received  from  a  number  of  absentees,  expressing 
their  regret  at  being  unable  to  attend  the  re-union.  The  tables 
were  well  supplied,  the  wines  excellent,  and  at  a  late  hour  the 
toasts  came  in  and  were  responded  to  most  happily. 

The  Third  toast,  "The  Army  and  Navy,"  was  drank  amid 
great  enthusiasm.  The  band  played  the  "  Red,  White  and  Blue." 

General  Schofield,  U.  S.  Army,  commanding  Department  of 
the  Pacific,  responded.  He  said  it  afforded  him  great  pleasure 
to  meet  the  members  of  the  pioneer  regiment  of  California,  and 
congratulate  them  upon  their  re-union.  I  am  surprised,  said  he, 
to  see  so  many  of  the  gallant  band  together,  after  a  lapse  of 
twenty-five  years,  and  so  goodly  a  number  of  young  men,  too.  I 
scarcely  believe  there  is,  among  you,  an  older  man  than  I  am, 
and  I  am  not  yet  twenty-five  years  in  the  service.  It  shows  the 
character  of  our  early  soldiers,  that  they  were  men  of  vigor,  of 
good  habits  and  of  good  character.  I  assure  you  it  gives  me 
pleasure  to  witness  the  re-union  of  those  who  are  of  our  early 
pioneers,  and  who  have  done  so  much  to  develop  our  country. 
I  wish  you  many  long  years  of  prosperity.  (Cheers.) 

"  The  Press  "  was  the  fifth  regular  toast.  It  was  responded  to 
by  that  venerable  pioneer,  Hon.  Philip  A.  Roach,  in  a  pertinent 
and  happy  speech.  He  returned  thanks  for  the  honor  conferred, 
and*  said  that  the  subject  could  be  better  handled  by  younger 
members  of  the  press  present.  He  said,  with  your  regiment,  and 
as  one  of  its  number,  a  member  of  the  press  came  to  our  shores, 
who  established  a  free,  fearless  and  independent  paper  in  this 
city,  and  who  was  not  afraid  to  speak  out  boldly.  When  it  was 
dangerous  to  give  utterance  to  his  sentiments,  he  stood  up  for 
the  people's  rights,  and  by  his  fearless  and  brilliant  character 
built  up  a  paper  of  influence,  talent  and  ability  in  this  city — the 
Alia.  This  gentleman's  name,  you  well  know,  is  Edward  Gilbert, 
who  laid  down  his  life  for  what  he  believed  were  the  principles 
of  liberty  we  now  enjoy  and  for  the  liberty  of  the  press.  His 
portrait  very  properly  hangs  in  the  Council  Chamber  of  the  city. 
He  lost  his  life  in  maintaining  his  idea  of  what  was  right  and 
combatting  what  was  wrong. 

Mr.  Roach's  address  was  warmly  received.  A  brother  of  Mr. 
Roach  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  regiment. 

The  Volunteer  toasts  were  happily  proposed,  and  their  responses 
in  every  instance  full  of  kindly  sentiment  and  good  fellowship. 
At  a  late  hour  the  re-union  broke  up. 


1 847— RE- UN  ION  AT  NEW  YORK— 1874. 

The  twenty-seventh  anniversary  of  the  landing  of  Stevenson's 
Regiment  in  California  was  celebrated  by  a  dinner  at  the  Sturte- 
vant  House  on  the  evening  of  the  26th  of  March,  1874. 

The  following  survivors  were  present:  Surgeon  Alex.  Perry, 
Capt.  James  M.  Turner,  Lieut.  Jeremiah  Sherwood,  James  E. 
Nuttman,  Russell  Myers,  William  H.  Christian,  George  M. 
Leonard,  William  H.  Rogers,  Jacob  J.  Schoonmaker,  Francis  D. 
Clark  and  John  Taylor. 

Letters  of  regret  were  read  from  the  following  comrades: 
Major-General  James  A.  Hardie,  U.  S.  A.,  Gen.  Nelson  Taylor, 
Gen.  Francis  J.  Lippitt,  John  Wolf,  Esq.  and  Hon.  Sherman  O. 
Houghton,  M.  C. 

Among  the  many  old  Californians  present  were,  Hon.  C.  K. 
Garrison,  ex-Mayor  of  San  Francisco,  Gen.  Thomas  B.  Van  Buren, 
Gen.  H.  G.  Gilson,  U.  S.  A.,  James  Stark,  Esq.  (the  pioneer  actor), 
and  Major  William  W.  Leland,  (founder  of  the  Pacific  News  at 
San  Francisco  in  1849). 


The  New  York  Herald,  in  its  issue  of  August  10,  1846, 
contains  an  engraving  entitled  "  The  Encampment  of  the 
California  Regiment  on  Governor's  Island,"  showing  the  regi 
ment  on  parade,  and  its  issue  of  September  6  has  another 
entitled  "  Presentation  of  Bibles  to  the  New  York  Legion  or 
California  Regiment,"  on  Governor's  Island,  by  Rev.  Dr. 
McVicar. 


[From  the  Albany  Argus,  August  ist,  1846.] 

Yesterday  Governor  Wright  issued  commissions  to  the  field 
officers  of  the  Seventh  Regiment  of  U.  S.  Volunteers  from  the 
State  of  New  York,  viz.  :  Jonathan  D.  Stevenson,  Colonel ; 
Henry  S.  Burton,  Lieutenant-Colonel  ;  James  A.  Hardie, 
Major. 


MUSTERED    OUT  IN  1873. 

To  Lieutenant  Jeremiah  Sherwood  of  Company  G,  the  honor 
belongs  of  having  been  the  last  officer  holding  a  commission  in  a 
volunteer  regiment  enrolled  for  service  during  the  Mexican  war, 
to  be  mustered  out  of  the  service  of  the  United  States.  Lieut. 
S.,  at  the  date  of  the  discharge  of  Company  G,  at  Los  Angeles, 
Cal.,  September  i8th,  1848,  was  absent  upon  detached  service 
under  Lieut.  George  Stoneman,  U.  S.  Dragoons.  Upon  the 
news  of  the  discharge  of  a  portion  of  Stevenson's  Regiment 
reaching  Lieut.  Stoneman,  who  was  then  in  the  neighborhood  of 
San  Francisco,  he  gave  Lieut.  Sherwood  an  indefinite  furlough. 
Twenty-five  years  subsequent  Lieut.  Sherwood  recalled  this  fact 
that  he  was  still  in  the  United  States  service;  he  addressed 
several  communications  to  the  War  "Department  on  the  subject, 
and  after  he  had  assured  the  Department  that  no  claim  for  pay 
would  be  made  upon  the  Government,  was  the  least  attention 
given  to  the  communications.  Then  the  Adjutant-General  of  the 
Army  issued  an  order  to  Gen.  Winfield  S.  Hancock,  U.  S.  A., 
commanding  the  Military  Division  of  the  Atlantic,  with  Head 
quarters  at  New  York,  directing  that  officer  to  have  Lieut.  Sher 
wood  properly  mustered  out  of  the  service  of  the  United  States; 
and  upon  the  muster-out  roll  of  Company  G,  the  War  Depart 
ment  has  appended  opposite  to  the  name  of  Lieut.  S.,  the  follow 
ing  in  red  ink:  "A.  G.  O.  Discharge  furnished  to  date  from 
September  i8th,  1848,  per  Special  Order  93,  par.  3,  Head 
quarters  Military  Division  of  the  Atlantic,  series  of  1873."  The 
remarks  made  by  Capt.  Smith,  U.  S.  Dragoons,  who  mustered 
out  the  company  at  Los  Angeles,  opposite  the  name  of  Lieut. 
Sherwood  being:  "Absent  on  detached  service  by  Special 
Order  No.  40,  Headquarters  Southern  Military  District,  Los 
Angeles." 


89 


CONCL  USION. 

COMRADES: 

This  publication  was  delayed  some  four  months  to  enable  addi 
tional  facts  regarding  surviving,  as  also  deceased  comrades  to  be 
obtained,  thereby  affording  the  opportunity  of  recording  herein 
information  that  must  otherwise  have  been  omitted.  Every  effort 
was  used  to  learn  who  of  those  who  are  recorded  under  "  where 
abouts  unknown,"  were  living  or  deceased.  In  some  instances 
the  result  was  favorable.  Undoubtedly  many  others  will  be 
accounted  for  after  this  record  refreshes  the  memory,  by  recall 
ing  familiar  names  to  those  who  were  their  associates  in  the 
regiment,  or  afterwards  identified  with  them  in  civil  life. 

Some  twenty  names  have  been  received  who  are  reported  to 
have  been  members  of  the  regiment,  but  as  the  official  rolls  of 
the  respective  companies  fail  to  substantiate  the  fact,  it  is  evident 
that  some  mistake  has  been  made,  in  nearly  every  instance  they 
are  reported  as  deceased. 

Want  of  space  has  prevented  the  publication  herein  of 
communications  written  by  our  comrades,  Captain  Seymour  G. 
Steele,  Lieutenant  John  C.  Bonnycastle,  John  B.  Parvin,  William 
H.  Rogers  and  William  H.  Christain,  containing  interesting 
reminiscences  relating  to  the  old  regiment. 

The  printing,  binding  and  distribution  by  mail  of  four  hundred 
copies  of  this  little  volume  necessitates  an  expense  of  over  three 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  it  being  intended  for  private  distribu 
tion  among  comrades,  and  through  them  to  personal  friends  and 
relatives  (excepting  those  copies  which  will  be  forwarded  to 
historical  and  other  societies  in  the  Empire  and  the  Golden  State 
for  preservation),  the  funds  for  the  liquidation  of  this  expense 
is  derived  solely  from  the  voluntary  contributions  of  survivors  of 


9° 


the  old  regiment,  the  small  number  of  copies  required  greatly 
increased  the  cost  of  each  book  ;  and,  in  response  to  my  appeal 
for  funds  to  defray  this  expense,  it  affords  me  pleasure  to 
acknowledge  the  receipt  of  one  half  of  the  amount  required  from 
the  following  comrades  : 

Colonel  JONATHAN  D.  STEVENSON. 
Lieutenant  J.  C.  BONNYCASTLE,  Adjutant, 


Co.  A. 

WILLIAM  H.  ROGERS. 
ANDREW  J.  MOORE. 
RUSSELL  MYERS. 
WILLIAM  H.  WILLIAMS. 
JOHN  W.  THOMAS. 
WILLIAM  WOOLEY. 
JOHN  B.  PARVIN. 
THEODORE  R.  SAUNDERS. 
MOSES  W.  PERRY. 

Co.  B. 

Lieut.  THOMAS  E.  KETCHUM. 
JAMES  E.  NUTTMAN. 
CHARLES  H.  THURSTON. 
CHARLES  HEINRICH. 
SAMUEL  CATTS. 

Co.  D. 

WILLIAM   S.  JOHNSON. 
JAMES  M.  HARRON. 
JOHN  WOLFE. 
GEORGE  A.  CORGAN. 
FRANCIS  D.  CLARK. 


Co.  E. 

Capt.  NELSON   TAYLOR. 
JOHN  M.  O'NEIL. 
JOHN  H.  WELSH. 
GEORGE  CANFIELD. 

Co.  F. 

Capt.   FRANCIS  J.  LIPPITT. 
CHAS.  C.  E.  RUSS. 
JAMES  LYNCH. 
AUGUST  E.   ENGELBERG. 
AMISON  WHITAKER. 

Co.  G. 

Lieut.  JEREMIAH  SHERWOOD. 
"     J.  McH.  ROLLINGS  WORTH. 
ROBERT  WILSON. 
E.  D.  SHIRLAND. 
THOMAS  NISBITT. 

Co.  H. 

Capt.  JOHN  B.  FRISBIE. 

SQUIRE  G.  MERRILL. 
GEORGE  VAN  VECHTEN. 
JAMES  H.  LAPPEUS. 


Co.  I. 


JOSEPH   EVANS. 


EUGENE  GUIBAL. 


91 

The  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York  has  recently  passed 
an  act  appropriating  the  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  the 
purpose  of  granting  to  each  survivor  of  the  First  Regiment  of 
New  York  Volunteers,  which  served  in  the  Mexican  war,  the  sum 
of  twelve  dollars  per  month  for  a  period  of  two  years.  The  act 
only  awaits  at  this  date,  (June  ist,  1882,)  the  signature  of  the 
Governor  to  become  a  law.  At  the  first  glance  it  would  be  sup 
posed  that  this  allowance  was  for  the  survivors  of  the  regiment 
under. Colonel  Jonathan  D.  Stevenson.  Such  is  not  the  fact. 

Disputes  having  arisen,  and  more  or  less  confusion  still  exist 
ing  in  the  minds  of  many,  with  reference  to  the  proper  designation 
of  our  regiment,  it  seems  not  inappropriate  to  here  state  a  few 
facts,  giving  a  clear  and  better  understanding  of  the  matter. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Mexican  war  an  attempt  was  made  to 
organize  six  regiments  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  while  these 
were  in  the  course  of  completion  the  War  Department  issued 
authority  to  Colonel  Jonathan  D.  Stevenson  to  organize  a  regi 
ment  in  the  State  of  New  York  for  service  in  California,  and 
naturally,  this  latter  regiment  took  the  designation  of  "Seventh 
Regiment  New  York  Volunteers,"  under  which  title  it  was  mus 
tered  into  the  service,  and  took  its  departure  for  its  field  of  duty. 
The  effort  to  organize  the  six  regiments,  above  referred  to,  was, 
subsequent  to  the  sailing  of  the  regiment  under  Col.  Stevenson 
for  California,  abandoned,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  War  Depart 
ment  declined  to  accept  only  one  other  regiment  from  the  State 
of  New  York  for  duty  in  Mexico.  Out  of  these  six  partly  organ 
ized  regiments,  owing  to  a  compromise  made  between  several  of 
the  would-be  colonels,  was  formed  the  regiment  which  served  in 
Mexico  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Ward  B.  Burnett,  which 
was  the  second  and  last  New  York  regiment  organized  and  mus 
tered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  during  the  Mexican 
war.  Colonel  Stevenson's  regiment  having  been  mustered  into 
the  service  as  the  Seventh,  and  having  sailed  for  California,  the 
State  authorities  designated  the  regiment  under  Colonel  Burnett 
the  First. 

The  War  Department  subsequently  corrected  this  erroneous 
designation  of  New  York  regiments,  by  an  order  directing  Col. 
Stevenson  to  thereafter  designate  and  muster  his  regiment  as  the 
"  First  Regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers,"  which  order,  upon  its 
receipt  by  Col.  Stevenson  at  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  early  in  1848, 
through  Col.  R.  B.  Mason,  ist  U.  S.  Dragoons,  commanding  in 


92 

California  was  immediately  complied  with.  An  order  was  also 
issued  by  the  War  Department  and  forwarded  to  Col.  Burnett, 
through  the  headquarters  of  Gen.  Winfield  Scott,  commanding 
the  U.  S.  Army  in  Mexico,  directing  Colonel  B.  to  thereafter 
designate  and  muster  his  regiment  as  the  "  Second  Regiment  of 
New  York  Volunteers."  Col.  Burnett,  in  an  interview  with  the 
writer  in  the  Fall  of  1873,  gave  the  following  as  his  reason  for 
declining  to  obey  the  order: 

Col.  B.  said:  "An  order  was  received  from  Gen.  Winfield 
Scott,  commanding  the  Armies  of  the  United  States  in  Mexico, 
directing  me  to  discontinue  mustering  my  regiment  as  the  First, 
and  returning  the  rolls  for  correction.  I  maintained  that  by  so 
doing  I  would  invalidate  my  commission,  received  from  the 
Governor  of  the  State  of  New  York,  by  which  I  was  designated 
Colonel  of  the  First  Regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers,  under 
which  designation  it  was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  and  that  only  under  the  authority  of  the  State  of  New 
York  could  the  designation  of  my  regiment  be  changed." 

Col.  B.  was,  however,  required  thereafter  to  muster  his  regiment 
upon  the  muster  rolls  as  the  Second.  Col.  Stevenson,  on  the  con 
trary,  who  held  his  commission  under  the  same  authority,  never 
questioned  the  right  of  the  Government  to  change  the  designation 
of  his  regiment  from  that  of  the  Seventh  to  the  First. 

Col.  B.  still  holds  to  the  disputed  title,  and  on  all  public  occa 
sions  or  parades  in  the  City  of  New  York  the  survivors  of  his 
regiment  floats  at  their  head  a  flag  upon  which  is  inscribed :  "  First 
Regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers,  Mexican  war — Col.  Ward  B. 
Burnett." 

Not  a  member  of  the  regiment  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Jonathan  D.  Stevenson,  from  the  State  of  New  York,  in  the  Mex 
ican  war,  would  deprive  the  members  of  Colonel  Ward  B.  Burnett's 
regiment  of  one  iota  of  the  glory  they  so  nobly  achieved  upon 
many  well  fought  battle  fields  in  the  valley  of  Mexico.  To  the 
contrary,  the  members  of  Col.  Stevenson's  regiment  are  proud  of 
the  record  gained  in  Mexico  by  their  brother  New  York  regiment; 
but  the  confusion  that  continually  arises  through  the  same  desig 
nation  to  both  regiments  ought  not  to  exist.  The  members  of 
Col.  Stevenson's  regiment  have  never  received  nor  asked  for  any 
special  favor  from  the  National,  or  any  State  Government,  while 
the  present  is  the  second  instance  in  which  the  State  of  New  York 
has  granted  to  the  members  of  the  regiment  under  Col.  Burnett 


93 

a  gratuity;  and  yet  the  survivors  of  Col.  Stevenson's  regiment 
are  none  the  less  soldiers  of  the  Empire  State  who  went  forth 
under  her  banner  for  service  in  the  Mexican  war. 

The  following  letter,  received  from  the  War  Department,  is 
evidence  that  Col.  Stevenson's  regiment  is  recognized  in  that 
office  as  the  First  : 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ADJUTANT  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 
WASHINGTON,  November  18,  1881. 

FRANCIS  D.  CLARK,  ESQ., 

38  Cortlandfr  street,  New  York  City. 

SIR — In  reply  to  your  several  letters,  addressed  to  the  Secretary 
of  War,  the  General  of  the  Army,  and  to  General  Lippitt,  of  the 
Department  of  Justice,  I  respectfully  transmit  herewith  skeleton 
copies  of  the  muster  out  rolls  of  the  First  Regiment  of  New  York 
Volunteers,  Mexican  War. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

H.  C.  CORBIN, 

Asst.  Adjutant  General. 

Letters  having  been  received  from  comrades  who  are  now 
residents  of  the  Atlantic  States  expressing  a  wish  that  arrange 
ments  might  be  effected  for  a  re-union,  in  the  near  future,  of 
survivors  of  the  old  command  at  New  York.  The  suggestions 
were  submitted  to  comrades  residing  in  the  City  of  New  York, 
and  met  with  a  favorable  response,  accordingly  a  call  will  be 
issued  inviting  those  comrades  who  can  possibly  attend  to 
assemble  in  the  City  of  New  York,  on  Tuesday,  the  26th  day  of 
September  next,  the  Thirty-sixth  Anniversary  of  the  sailing  of 
the  regiment  from  this  port  bound  for  California,  upon  which 
occasion  a  dinner  will  be  given  by  the  New  York  survivors  to 
their  visiting  comrades  from  neighboring  cities.  The  suggestion 
is  therefore  made  that  our  surviving  comrades  at  San  Francisco 
might  also  inaugurate  a  movement  for  a  re-union  upon  the  same 
date  in  that  city — among  whom  they  have  our  old  and  venerable 
colonel,  to  whom  such  a  meeting  would  without  doubt  prove  of 
the  greatest  possible  pleasure.  Let  all,  therefore,  who  possibly 
can,  make  the  26th  day  of  September  next  a  joyous  day  for  the 
survivors  of  the  old  regiment.  A  few  years  hence  our  roll  will 
undoubtedly  be  greatly  diminished. 


94 

I  am  persuaded  to  recall  these  words,  "with  this  publication  I 
bring  my  labors  to  a  close,"  which  appear  in  my  introductory 
remarks,  feeling  that  the  labor  of  the  past  eleven  years  should 
not  close  until  at  least  one  more  effort  was  made  to  learn  who  of 
those  under  "Whereabouts  unknown"  are  living  or  deceased, 
and,  within  a  few  months  after  this  little  waif  reaches  our  com 
rades,  information  ought  to  be  received  that  will  unravel  the 
mystery  surrounding  those  names,  all  are  therefore  asked  to  fur 
nish  such  facts  in  relation  thereto  as  a  refreshed  memory  will 
permit,  which  facts  will  be  compiled  in  a  circular  sheet  and  for 
warded  to  comrades,  thereby  forming  arf  appendix  to  the  present 
issue.  Let  the  information  that  is  furnished  be  positive. 

To  those  comrades  from  whom  letters  of  encouragement  have 
been  received  within  the  past  few  months,  expressive  of  their 
thanks  and  satisfaction  at  the  effort  being  made  through  my 
humble  labors  to  once  more  re-unite  old  acquaintances,  I  can 
only  reiterate,  the  labor  was  one  of  pleasure  and  love.  The 
action  of  those  comrades  whose  names  appear  on  folio  90  is  con 
clusive  that  those  labors  are  appreciated.  What  greater  reward 
than  those  kindly  expressions  for  such  humble  efforts  could  be 
asked  for  a  self-imposed  duty  ?  With  the  hope  that  the  result 
will  contribute  an  hour  of  pleasant  reflection  to  those  who  were 
my  associates  on  the  Pacific  Coast  in  years  ante-dating  "  The 
days  of  old,  the  days  of  gold,  the  days  of  '49." 

Fraternally  yours, 

FRANCIS  D.  CLARK. 

No.  38  Cortlandt  Street, 
NEW  YORK,  June  ist,  1882. 


APPENDIX 


CONTAINING  ADDITIONAL  NAMES  OF  SURVIVORS  REPORTED 
SINCE    THE    ISSUE    OF    THE    VOLUME,    JUNE    IST,    1882; 
DEATHS  OF  COMRADES  DURING  THE    PAST    THIR 
TEEN     MONTHS ;       FURTHER     INFORMATION 
RELATIVE  TO  DEATHS   REGISTERED  IN 
THE  VOLUME,  AND  NAMES  REPORT 
ED    WHICH  DO  NOT  APPEAR 
ON  THE  OFFICIAL  ROLLS 
OF  THE  REGIMENT. 

ALSO, 

NAMES  OF  THE  CONTRIBUTORS  TO  THE  PUBLICATION  FUND, 
EXTRACTS  FROM  LETTERS  RECEIVED  FROM  COM 
RADES  AND  OTHERS  IN  COMMENDATION 
OF    "THE   LITTLE   VOLUME," 
ETC.,  ETC.,  ETC. 

New  York,  August  ist,  1883. 


COMRADES: 

With  the  few  pages  comprising  the  Appendix  to  this  little 
volume,  the  labor  of  years  in  the  interest  of  our  old  regiment 
and  its  survivors,  are  brought  to  a  close.  Those  of  you  who 
have  aided  in  this  work,  either  through  information  furnished  or 
money  contributed,  have  the  satisfaction  of  feeling  that  the  sur 
vivors  of  the  regiment  have  been  benefited  thereby,  for  through 
that  assistance  the  little  volume  has  been  published,  and  placed 
in  the  hands  of  every  known  survivor.  My  own  labor  and  exer 
tions  have  been  a  pleasure,  and  I  feel  grateful  for  the  expressions 
of  satisfaction  and  friendliness  conveyed  in  over  one  hundred 
letters  received  from  members  of  the  old  regiment.  If  a  line  has 
crept  into  the  little  book  calculated  to  give  offense  to  any  one  of 
my  comrades,  it  was  through  oversight  on^my  part.  Certainly, 
I  would  not  at  this  late  day  wound  the  feelings  of  any  member  of 
the  old  command. 

In  bringing  my  labors  to  a  close,  permit  me  to  express  the 
hope  that  our  surviving  comrades   may  not  again  become   so 
estranged  from  each  other  as  I  found  them  in   1870,  when  the 
task  was  assumed  of  searching  out  their  whereabouts;  for  cer 
tainly,  at  that  date,  few  of  us  were  aware  of  the  existence  or 
place  of  residence  of  ten  other  comrades.      Let  us  ever  bear  in 
remembrance  the  pleasant  and  happy  reminiscences  of  the  days 
we  passed  in  the  old  organization,  the  majority  of  us  being  at 
that   time   mere  youths.'    At  this  date,  with   a   few   individual 
exceptions,  we  remember  each  other   only  as  we  appeared   in 
early  life.      May  we  cherish  our  early  friendship,  and   always 
honor  the  name  of   our  respected  and  venerable  Colonel,  whose 
life  God  still  spares,   and  who,   although  now  past  the  allotted 
four-score,  is  still  in  the  enjoyment  of  vigorous  health,   and  in 
the  pursuit  of  his   daily   labors  as  an  honored   servant  of  the 
Government,  and  a  creditable  citizen  of   California. 


The  organization  of  our  survivors  into  a  society  is  impractic 
able,  from  the  fact  that  our  places  of  abode  are  so  far  apart. 
Yet  where  there  are  a  sufficient  number  in  any  one  locality,  they 
can  at  least  form  themselves  into  a  brotherhood,  and  once  each 
year  spread  their  board  with  Tortillas,  Frijoles  and  Carni-Seco, 
and  pass  a  few  hours  in  social  converse. 

Though  our  Government  still  neglects  its  duty  to  the  aged  and 
infirm  "  Veterans  of  the  Mexican  War," — men,  who  in  the  fulfil 
ment  of  their  contract  rendered  faithful  and  honorable  service  in 
that  which  gave  honor,  wealth  and  territory  to  the  country — let 
us  hope  that  their  claims  may  yet  be  favorably  considered  by 
Congress,  and  the  pension  which  they  have  so  long  appealed  for 
be  granted.  Of  our  regiment,  perhaps,  there  is  a  less  number  of 
survivors  in  need  of  this  aid  than  there  is  of  any  other  in  the 
service  during  that  war,  yet  even  among  our  own  comrades  there 
are  those  who  would  be  greatly  benefited  by  such  help  from  the 
Government  in  their  declining  years. 

The  present  is,  in  all  probability,  the  last  attempt  I  shall  make 
to  issue  a  printed  list  of  the  survivors  of  our  old  regiment;  still,  it 
is  not  my  purpose  to  discontinue  the  record  of  deaths  as  they  may 
occur,  if  apprised  thereof.  Having  completed  an  almost  accu 
rate  record  of  the  living,  I  ask  to  be  informed  of  any  change 
that  may  occur  among  our  members  by  death  or  otherwise. 

Fraternally,  &c., 

FRANCIS  D.  CLARK, 

Formerly  of  Co.  D. 


No.  38  CORTLAND  STREET, 

NEW  YORK,  August  ist,  1883. 


SU^UIUOFJS. 


*GALLAGHER,  JOHN 
WEISS,  WILLIAM 


€0. 


*CHIPMAN,  WALTER 
IR  WIN,  EDWARD 
*T  AIT,  JAMES  A. 


Cedar  Springs,  Kent  Co.,  Mich. 

Middleton,  Lake  Co.,  Cal. 

Santa  Cruz,  Cal. 


€0.  "B." 


Bodega  Corner,  Sonoma  Co.,  Cal. 
San  Francisco. 


010. 

*LIEUT.  THERON  R.  PER  LEE  . , 
ZETSCHSKY,  CHARLES 

010. 
*JANES,  ALDEN  W 

€0. 

*BAXTER,  WILLIAM  O. 

010. 

LOPEZ.  THEODORE        

*MILFORD,  EDMUND  N. 


<£. 


Baltimore,  Md. 
Petaluma,  Cal. 


Kenton,  Hardin  Co.,  Ohio. 


Santa  Monica,  Cal. 


Sonora,  Toulumne  Co.,  Cal. 
Princeton,  Mariposa  Co.,  Cal. 


*GROW,  WILLIAM       ........          Dead  wood,  Dakota  Ter. 

GEHRINGER,  ANDREW  ......    Concord,  Contra  Costa  Co  .,  Cal. 

010.  "3.  " 

LUKER,  WILLIAM       ........     Sonora,  Tuolumne  Co.,  Cal. 

€0.   "K.  " 

FRINK,  DANIEL     ......         Mountain  View,  Santa  Clara  Co.  ,  Cal. 

*LEACH,  KENDRICK  N  .....      Fountain  Green,  Hancock  Co.,  111. 

Santa  Clara  Co.,  Cal. 


LO  VEL  AND,  CYRUS  C 


Sana. 


DUNITCH,  ERNEST  F  .....         .  .         .  .       near  Placerville,  Cal. 

*HAUFF,  ERNEST  ......      Yorkville,  Mendocino  Co.  ,  Cal  . 

*  Information  direct  from  themselves. 


D€fl&F)S— 1882  AND  '83. 


€0.  "<2t." 

LEWIS,  JOSEPH  B.  . .         . .         Fort  Davis,  Texas,  June  24,  1882 

BOUCHALTZ,  THEODORE        ..  near  Mariposa,  Cal., PJune  11,  1883^ 

€0.  "ID." 

ATKINSON,  CHARLES  A Mariposa,  Cal.,  August  7,  1882. 

HILL,  JOHN  EVANS  . .         . .        Pendelton,  Oregon,  August  6,1882. 

SCHREADOR,  GEORGE  . .         . .         Napa  Co.,  Cal.,  Sept.  20,  1882. 

010,    "Cfifr." 

LIEUT.  JEREMIAH  SHERWOOD,     . .     New  York  City,  March  14,  1883. 

"  010.   JL" 

OSGOOD,  HENRY  M San  Luis  Obispo,  Cal.,  Dec.  9,  1882. 

GUIBAL,  EUGENE Gilroy,  Cal., 1883. 

010.  "E." 

MERRITT,  ROBERT  G Ukiah,  Mendocino  Co.,  March  27,  1883. 


Additional  information  received — Deaths. 

€0.  "&." 

BURKE,  JAMES         on  Stanislaus  river,  ,  1851. 

DENKERS,  CHARLES  W.  . .  at  Sacramento,  May  4,  1871. 

HATHAWAY,  JAMES  M at  Downieville,  Sierra  Co., ,  1851, 

HAMILTON,  JAMES  . .         at  Jackson,  Amador  Co., ,  1858. v 

MORTON,  FREEMAN          at  Stockton,  Cal., ,185-. 

MORSE,  HENRY on  San  Joaquin  Plains,  ,  1849, 

MURRAY,  EDWARD  in  Calaveras  Co., ,  1855, 

PENROSE,  LIEUT.  GEO.  F at  Monterey,  Cal., ,  185-. 

PEASLEY,  NESMITH  H.    ..         ..         ..      at  San  Francisco, ,1851. 

SCHOONMAKER,  MILTON  C.  . .     at  Stockton,  Cal.,  Jan'y  — ,  1850. 

SCHILLER,  EDWARD         . .         . .         . .          at ,  Texas, ,  1881. 

TAIT,  WILLIAM  G at ,  NIC., ,185-. 

TIPSON,  WILLIAM  H at  San  Francisco,  Dec.  7,  1867.V 

€0.  "8." 

BRADY,  JOHN  R.   • at  Stockton,  Cal., ,185-. 

FITCH,  WORTHINGTON  L at  San  Francisco, ,  1850. 


OGDEN,  BENJAMIN    .. 
PECK,  CHARLES  L. 
RYAN,  EDWARD 
RANDALL,  CHARLES  G. 
RICHARDSON,  CHARLES 
SCOTT,  CHARLES  G. 
TOWNER,  LOAMMI    . . 
WALL,  RICHARD  . 


. .     at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  — ,  1866. 

at  Monterey,  Cal.,  ,  1854V 

. .  at  San  Francisco, ,  1866N 

at  San  Jose,  Cal.,  ,  185-.\ 

at  sea,  brig  "  Vesta," ,  1855x 

at ,  Nic., ,  185-x 

. .     at  San  Jose,  Cal. ,  185-.* 

at  Linden,  San  Joaquin  Co., ,  185-.^ 


oi0.  "or." 

LAYDEN,  WILLIAM  at  Sandwich  Islands, 


REASSEAU,  CHARLES 
WILSON,  JOHN 
WARRINGTON,  JOHN 


010.  "  SD." 

at  San  Francisco, 
at  Firebaughs  Ferry,  Cal., 
at  Indian  Reservation,  Mendocino  Co. 


185-. 


1868.- 

1870. 

-185-. 


010. 

CAMPBELL,  JAMES  T. 

KIERNAN,  JOHN  B 

LEGARE,  BURNETT 
McPHERSON,    GEORGE 
McMANUS,  JAMES 

MCMILLAN,  CHARLES  .. 
MORTON,  HENRY  S. 
VERMULE,  LIEUT.  THOMAS  L. 

MILLIKEN,  JOHN 

HUTCHEON,   WALTER    .. 

VAN  RIPER,  ABRAHAM  (Sergt.)on 


"<£." 

. .    at  San  Francisco, ,  1853. 

at  Stockton,  Cal. , ,  186-x 

at  Sea, .  1866. 

at  Morrisania,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  20,  1869. 

. .     at  San  Francisco,  ,  1852^ 

,  186-,v 

. .    at  Stockton,  Cal., ,  1854_ 

. .      at  Stockton,  Cal.,  May  7,  1856. 

at  Santa  Clara  Co.  (about),  1878.  v 
at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  15,  1880. 
Mokeluinne  River,  Winter  of  1848-'49.- 


010. 


CARPENTER,  CHARLES  R. 
GALUSHA,  ELON  A.     .  . 
MASON.  ALFRED 
MULVEY,  JAMES 

PULIS,  JOHN  C 

POWER,  EDWARD       .  . 
POWER,  JOHN  A 

SMITH,  JAMES  G. 


at  Havana,  Cuba,  - 

at  Rochester,  N.  Y., 

. .  at  Sacramento, 

at  San  Francisco,  - 


at  Sonora,  Mexico, 


1860. 
,  18-. 
,  18-. 
1865. 
1850 


I860: 


j  Drowned  at 
Cal. 


STEPHENS,  PETER, 
VIDAL,  JOHN  A. 


Middle  Fork  of  the  American  River, 

1849. 

at  San  Francisco, ,  1849.- 

at  Santa  Barbara. ,  1853,, 


FARR,  PHILIP 
TOYE,  H.  H.  F. 


010.  " 


at  Dutch  Flat,  Cal., ,  18—. 

at  Granada,  Nic.,  ,  1856. 


DAVIS,  BENJAMIN  B at  Merced,  Cal. , ,  1880. 

LEDDY,  MICHAEL          Mendocino  County, ,18-. 

VEDDER,  PETER  G at  Manaque,  Nic., ,1856. 

WIERZBICKIE,  FELIX  P at  San  Francisco,  Dec.  25,  1860. . 

€0.  "J." 

KELLY,  PHILIP        ..         ..         ..         ..       in  Calaveras  Co. , ,1860. 

010.  "«£." 

DIMMICK,  CAPT.  K.  H at  Los  Angeles,  Sept.  11,  1861.' 

GRAMS,  PHILIP at  Milwaukee,  Wis., ,1880. 

tUgitnental  JJano. 

FAUFTER,  JOHANN          . .         . .          at  Washington,  D.  C., ,  1864. 

Sutler. 

HAIGHT,  SAMUEL  W.  at  San  Francisco,  Feb.  27,  1856. 


ERRATA.— (SEE  VOLUME.) 

Folio  22— CAPT.  J.  L.  FOLSOM,  read     . .         . .      19th  instead  of  15th. 

«  22— ROBERT  MURRAY,  Assistant  Surgeon,  U.  S.  A.,  was  not  an 
an  officer  of  the  regiment,  but  served  at  various  posts  in  Cali 
fornia,  garrisoned  by  the  regiment.  His  present  rank  is  Col 
onel  and  Assistant  Surgeon-General,  U.  S.  A.  Stationed  at 
Fort  Columbus,  Governor's  Island,  staff  of  Gen.  W.  S.  Han 
cock,  U.  S.  A. 

"     25— CHARLES  W.  DENKERS,  ..        See  deaths  in  Appendix. 

"     26- THEODORE  BONCHALTZ,   read    THEODORE  BOUCHALTZ. 

"     28— JAMES  DRENNER,  read          ..         ..       JAMES  DRENNEN. 

"     31— ARTEMUS  RICHARDSON,    read    Sonora,    Tuolumne   Co. 

"     33— CHARLES  REASSEAU,  . .  See  deaths  in  Appendix. 

11      33— JAMES  M.  HARRON,  read  ..          ..   JAMES  HARRON. 

«•     34— ALDEN  W.  JAMES,  read        ..         ..      ALDEN  W.  JANES. 

"      34— GEORGE  SCHRAELOR,  read        ..     GEORGE  SCHREADOR. 

"      39— JAMES  DOULEVY,  read          . .         . .       JAMES  DONLEVY. 

"     44— JAMES  F.  GORDWELL,  read      . .     JAMES  F.  GOOD  WELL. 

"     48— FREDERICK  N.  LEACH,  read  KENDRICK  N.  LEACH. 


Names  reported  which  do  not  appear  on  the  official  roll  of  the 
regiment.  Some  of  the  members  of  the  regiment  enlisted  under 
assumed  names  to  avoid  discovery  by  parents  and  guardians,  and 
resumed  their  proper  names  upon  the  discharge  of  the  regiment 
in  1848.  This  may  account  for  some  of  these  names  reported. 


BROWN,   WILLIAM  H. 
BRUEN,  JOHN  H. 
BENSON,  CHRISTIAN 
CONLEY,  MARSTON  F. 
CUNNINGHAM,   STEPHEN 
CASSEL,  JOHN 
CHRISTIAN,  CHARLES 
DAY,  EDWARD 
FORD,  HENRY 
HAWKINS,  JOHN  A. 
HOFFMAN,  CHARLES 
HEATHCOAT,  - 
HARRISON,    LIEUT.  EDW.  H, 
KORN,  JULIUS 


KORNISH, 


McDUFF,  A.  JACKSON 

MCDONALD,  CHARLES 

McGLOENE,  JAMES 

McLEOD,  ALEXANDER 

O'GRADY,  — 

PARSONS,  J.  H 

RAND,  GEORGE 

SMITH  JOHN  G.    (James   G.    in 

Co.  F.) 

WALTER,  JOHN 
YETCH,  AUGUST 


Information  received  of  Comrades. 


Co.  A.- 

"  K.- 

"  A.- 

"  B.- 

<l  D.- 

"  E.- 

"  E.- 

"  G.- 

"  G.- 

-  I.- 


-PENNY,  MOSES     H.    .. 
-MAC  KAY,  JOHN  H. 
-NOYES,  MICHAEL  S. 
-WHITE,  CRISTOPHER  S. 
-CAHN,  PHILIP  V. 
-HAMLEN,  MORTIMER  J. 
-BURTON,  JAMES  C. 
-EDMONSON,  ALFRED 
-TAYLOR:   WALTER 
-BROOKS,  EDWARD  J. 
P.  S. —  The  effort  made  to  verify 


Went  to  Chili,  S.  C.,  in  1850. 
f  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Union ville,Humboldt Co.,  Nev. 

Silver  City,  Lyon  Co. ,  Idaho. 

Oakland,  Cal. 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Corpus  Christie,  Texas. 
[Muscogee,  Creek  Nation,  I.  T. 
the  above  ivas  unsuccessful. 


Survivors  of  the  100  members  of  the  regiment  that  arrived  in 
California  by  the  transport  "  Isabella,"  under  Lieut.  Thomas  J. 
Roach: 

LIPP,  CARLOS 

NORRIS,  JACOB  W. 

PHILLIPS,  JOHN  B. 

RUSS,  C.  C.  E. 

SIMS,  JOSEPH 

THOMAS,  JOHN  W. 

TAIT,  JAMES  A. 

TOOMBS,  GEORGE  W. 


AMES,  JOSIAH-P. 
CORGAN,  GEORGE  A. 
CHANDLER,  JOHN  A. 
CLARK,  FRANCIS  D. 
CLAMP,  RICHARD 
FARLEY,  GEORGE 
FARLEY,  THOMAS  P. 
HAVEY,  JOHN 
JANES,  ALDEN  W. 


WILLIAMS,  WILLIAM  H. 


10 


CONTRIBUTORS  TO  THE  PUBLICATION  FUND. 

FIELD  AND  STAFF,  $25. 

COL.  J.  D.  STEVENSON.  CAPT.  W.  G.  MARCY,  Commissary. 

LIEUT.  J.  C.  BONNYCASTLE,  Adjutant. 


Co.  A— $18. 

EDWARD  BARTHROP, 
RUSSELL  MYERS, 
JOHN  B.  PARVIN, 
MOSES  W.  PERRY, 
WILLIAM  H.  ROGERS, 
JOHN  SCOLLAN, 
JAMES  THOMPSON, 
JOHN  W.  THOMAS, 
WILLIAM  WOOLEY, 
WILLIAM  H.   WILLIAMS. 

Co.  B— $24. 

LIEUT.  THOS.    E.   KETCHUM 
JOSIAH  P.  AMES, 
SAMUEL  CATTS, 
CHARLES  HEINRICH, 
ANDREW  J.  MOORE, 
CHARLES  H.  THURSTON. 

Co.  C— $15. 

LIEUT.  THERON  R.  PER  LEE, 
ADOLPH  P.  RUSS. 

Co.  D— $33. 

GEORGE  A.  CORGAN, 
GEORGE  C.  DEAN, 
JAMES  HARRON, 
WILLIAM  S.  JOHNSON, 
ALDEN  W.  JANES, 
JACOB  W.  NORRIS, 
WILLIAM.  D.  ROBINSON, 
JOSEPH  SIMS, 
JOHN  WOLFE, 
ALPHIAS  YOUNG. 

Co.  E— $26. 

CAPT.  NELSON  TAYLOR, 
LIEUT.  EDWARD  WILLIAMS. 
WILLIAM  BAXTER, 


WILLIAM  BOYERS, 
GEORGE  CANFIELD, 
ISAAC  C.  JOHNSON, 
JOHN  M.  O'NEIL, 
JOHN  H.   WELSH. 

Co.  F— $33. 

CAPT.  FRANCIS  J.  LIPPITT, 
AUGUST  ENGELBERG, 
JAMES  LYNCH, 
AUGUST  RUSS, 
C.  C.   E.  RUSS, 
AMISON  WH1TAKER. 

Co.  G— $37. 

LIEUT.  J.   Me.    H.    ROLLINGS- 

WORTH, 

LIEUT.  J.  SHERWOOD, 
THOMAS  NISBITT, 
E.  D.  SHIRLAND, 
ADOLPH   PFIESTER, 
ROBERT  WILSON. 

Co.  H— $28. 

CAPT.  JOHN  B.   FRISBIE, 
JAMES  A.  LAPPEU1S, 
SQUIRE  G.  MERRILL, 
GEORGE  VAN  VECHTEN. 

Co.  I— $24. 

JOSEPH  EVANS, 
JOHN  C.   EMERSON, 
EUGENE  GUIBAL. 
H.  M.   OSGOOD, 
ELIJAH  M.  SMITH, 
CORNELIUS  SULLIVAN, 
ANDREW  J.  WARD. 

Co.   K. 


1 1 


NON-MEMBERS  OF  REGIMENT — $26. 
JOHN  Q.  ADAMS,  BENJ.  W.  JENXESS, 


THEODORE  RUSS, 
W.  C.  OSBORNE, 


HON.  PHILIP  A.  ROACH, 
C.  A.  MARTELLS. 


While  it  would  have  afforded  great  pleasure  to  have  made 
special  mention  of  those  comrades  who  so  generously  came  to 
the  aid  and  assistance  of  the  publication  fund,  I  abstain  from 
so  doing,  feeling  that  many  who  contributed  gave  to  the  extent 
of  their  ability,  and  that  a  discrimination  would  be  unjust  to 
those,"  who,  while  their  means  were  limited,  yet  cheerfully  gave 
of  that  little,  when  other  comrades,  with  ample  means,  declined  or 
neglected  to  contribute.  The  total  expense  that  will  have  been  in 
curred  with  the  issue  of  the  Appendix  amounts  to  $400  ;  of  this 
amount  $290  has  been  received  as  follows:  One  contributed  $20, 
eight  $10  each,  one  $7,  twenty-four  $5  each,  four  $3  each,  four 
$2.50  z&c\\,  fourteen  $2  each,  and  thirteen  §i  each. 

To  provide  for  the  deficiency,  copies  of  this  volume,  with  the 
Appendix  bound  therein,  will  be  furnished  at  §2  each,  or  three 
copies  for  $5.  Those  who  have  contributed  to  the  publication 
fund  will  receive  the  Appendix  sheets  (which  are  uniform  with 
those  in  the  volume)  free  of  charge. 


WHAT  IS  SAID  OF    THE  "LITTLE   VOLUME." 

"  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  July  i,  1882. 

"  I  thank  you  truly  for  the  handsome  volume,  entitled,  '  The  First  Regi 
ment  of  Xew  York  Vols.,  1846-1882,'  compiled  and  issued  by  you.  Few  of 
the  men  who  composed  that  regiment  are  living  to  appreciate  the  graceful  trib 
ute  to  their  memory,  but  they  left  families  and  hosts  of  friends  who  will  be 
delighted  to  possess  in  a  small  compass  so  many  names,  and  the  history  of  so 
many  events  with  which  that  regiment  was  associated.  In  casting  my  eyes  over 
the  volume  I  find  names  that  were  once  familiar,  and  am  reminded  of  things  lost 
to  all  but  memory.  I  congratulate  you  on  your  success,  and  beg  to  subscribe 
myself  as  one  of  your  friends."  W.  T.  SHERMAN,  General. 

"  Your  valuable  work  came  duly  to  hand,  and  I  am  really  delighted  with  its 
neatness  and  beauty  of  finish.  Its  contents  are  just  what  they  should  be.  Ac 
cept  my  thanks  for  the  courtesy  and  kind  attention  you  have  ever  shown  your 
old  commander,  and  believe  me,  most  sincerely  and  truly,  your  friend," 

J.  D.  STEVENSON,  Colonel  (of  the  Regiment). 


"  Your  book  has  given  me  great  pleasure,  and  I  am  thankful  to  you  for  all 
the  labor  and  trouble  you  have  expended  on  the  records  of  our  old  regiment : 
Many  familiar  names  come  to  my  mind  again  from  thirty-five  years  ago.       It 
a  very  nice  book  to  hand  over  to  our  children  when  we  are  called  away." 

A.  PFIESTER,  Co.  G. 


12 


"  I  am  much  pleased  with  the  external  of  the  book;  its  neat  and  attractive 
-appearance  commends  itself.  With  regard  to  its  contents,  I  think  those  in 
sympathy  with  your  undertaking  have  good  reason  to  be  more  than  satisfied. 
for  you  have  given  them  more  than  they  expected.  Its  arrangement  is 
admirable,  and  the  object  you  had  in  mind  in  its  production  is  well  and 
fully  covered,  and  in  good  taste. 

"  I  know  you  have  spent  a  great  deal  of  labor  and  thought  in  its  prepara 
tion  and  production,  but  feel  assured  that  you  will  consider  yourself  well  paid 
for  the  labor  and  time  expended,  in  the  congratulation  of  friends,  and  the  faVor 
I  am  confident  it  will  be  received  by  our  comrades  of  the  old  regiment." 

NELSON  TAYLOR,  Capt.  Co.  E. 


"  A  more  welcome  book  has  never  made  its  appearance  in  my  house,  not 
only  to  myself,  but  my  family."  JAMES  LYNCH,  Co.  F. 


' '  Your  little  volume  relating  to  our  old  regiment  is  to  hand.  I  am  much 
pleased  with  it.  Only  for  your  zeal  and  devotion  we  would  have  passed  into 
oblivion.  I  shall  treasure  it  as  an  heir-loom  for  my  two  orphan  grand 
daughters."  JOHN  SCOLLAN,  Co.  A. 

"  CITY  OF  MEXICO,  Nov.  22,  1882. 

"  It  affords  me  much  pleasure  to  have  an  opportunity  of  expressing  my  high 
appreciation  of  the  service  you  have  rendered  to  your  old  comrades  in  thus  pre 
serving  the  memory  of  our  regiment. "  JOHN  B.  FRISBIE,  Capt.  Co.  H. 


"I  have  your  beautiful  book  relating  to  our  old  regiment.  The  great 
labor  which  you  must  have  given  the  subject  is  worthy  of  the  highest  reward 
your  old  comrades  can  bestow."  WILLIAM  C.  PARKER,  Ass't  Surgeon. 


"  The  thanks  of  this  Society  are  tendered  Mr.  Francis  D.  Clark,  for  a  copy 
of  his  work,  which  we  highly  appreciate."        JOHN  C.  ROBINSON,  Sec'y, 

Associated  Veterans  of  the  Mexican  IVar,  San  Francisco. 


"  Your  little  volume  reads  to  me  like  a  roll-call,  and  carries  my  thoughts 
back  thirty-six  years,  when  the  most  of  us  were  mere  youths,  among  whom  I  re 
member  you  well."  GEORGE  CANFIELD,  Co.  E. 

"  I  have  read  with  deep  interest  your  book,  and  you  deserve  much  credit  for 
energy  and  perseverance  in  getting  it  up,  and  I  can  thoroughly  appreciate  the 
difficulties  under  which  you  labored  in  order  to  avoid  giving  offense  to  any  one." 

J.   McH.  HOLLINGSWORTH,  Lieut.  Co.  G- 


"  A  very  creditable  work,  and  affords  me  great  satisfaction  in  accounting  for 
many  of  my  old  comrades,  of  whom,  while  I  regret  the  dead,  am  glad  to  see 
so  many  are  certainly  alive."  .  JOHN  C.  BONNYCASTLE,  Lieut,  and  Adjt. 


"  It  is  a  valuable  work,  and  splendidly  gotten  up." 

PHILIP  A.   ROACH,  of  San  Francisco. 


"  The  book  is  exceedingly  creditable  in  every  respect." 

SEYMOUR  G.  STEELE  (Captain),  Co.  A. 

"  The  book  is  very  valuable,  and  I  will  treasure  it  as  a  keepsake  of  old  days 
never  to  be  forgotten."  GEORGE  VAN  VECHTEN,  Co.  H. 

"We  all  owe  you  a  debt  for  your  labor  and  perseverance.     Accept  my 
heartfelt  thanks."  ANDREW  J.  MOORE,  Co.  A. 

"I   cannot  refrain    from  congratulating  you  on    its   very  handsome  typo 
graphical  and  general  appearance,  not  to  speak  of  its  valuable  information." 

JOHN  C.  EMERSON,  Co.  I. 

"  I  am  intensely  pleased,  and  prize  it  highly.    The  survivors  owe  you  a  debt 
of  gratitude."  JOHN  B.  PARVIN,  Co.  A. 

"Just  the  information  I  most  desired."  E.  D.  SHIRLAND,  Co.  G. 

"  The  book  is  admirable  in  make  up,  and  is  an  interesting  and  valuable 
record.     Your  enterprise  is  creditable,  and  a  gracious  tribute  to  the  veterans." 
JOHN  Q.  ADAMS,  son  of  JAMES  H.  ADAMS,  Co.  G. 


"  You  deserve  great  credit  and  thanks  for  the  zeal  displayed  in  our  behalf. 
I  very  much  doubt  if  any  other  man  would  have  undertaken  to  perpetuate  the 
memories  of  the  dear  old  regiment."  SQUIRE  G.  MERRILL,  Co.  H. 


"  I  am  instructed  to  convey  to  you  the  thanks  of  this  Society  for  your  gift, 
as  also  to  assure  you  of  its  appreciation  of  your  valuable  work,  and  the  gratitude 
expressed  by  many  at  its  compilation."  WILLIAM  G.  FREEMAN,  Sec'y, 

San  Joaqnin  Society  of  California  Pioneers,  Stockton,  Cal. 

"  Many  thanks  for  your  efforts  in  furnishing  the  valuable  information  your 
work  contains.  It  afforded  me  a  rich  treat  in  renewing  my  memory  of  old  times 
and  the  boys  of  '46-'4S,  of  which  by  far  the  greater  proportion  are  enrolled  with 
the  silent  majority. "  GEO.  N.  CORNWELL,  Co.  H. 

"I  am  satisfied  that  every  one  connected  with  the  regiment  owes  you  a  vol 
ume  of  thanks,  and  I  hasten  to  return  you  mine."  J.  C.  L.  WADSWORTH. 


"  I  am  highly  pleased,  and  feel  thankful  to  you  for  the  publication  of  such  a 
splendid  work."  JAMES  H.  ADAMS,  Co.  G. 

The  following  letter,  received   from    a   comrade,  shows    that 
the  old  time   feeling  of  generosity  has   not   departed  from   the 
early  pioneers  of  California,  which,  under  the  circumstances,  is  a 
liberal  offering: 
FRIEND  CLARK,  New  York  City:  TUCSON,  ARIZONA,  Feb.  25,   1883. 

Enclosed  please  find  P.  O.  order  for  three  dollars  to  help  defray  the 
expense  of  printing  the  handsome  volume  received.  Not  being  rich,  I  am 
obliged  to  labor  for  my  daily  bread,  so  cannot  do  better  for  you. 

M.  W.  PERRY,  Co.  A. 


1848.1  REUNION  AT  NEW    YORK.  [1882. 

Wednesday  Evening,  Oct.  24,  1882. 

Thirty-fourth  anniversary  of  the  discharge  of  the  last  company 
(D)  of  the  regiment  from  service  at  Monterey,  Cal. 

The  following  account  of  the  gathering  of  survivors  of  Steven 
son's  California  Expedition  on  the  above  evening,  is  taken  from 
the  New  York  Herald,  of  the  following  morning  : 

MEXICAN  WAR  VETERANS. 

ANNIVERSARY    DINNER   OF   THE   MEN   WHO   ANTIDATE    THE    FORTY-NINERS. 

Each  one  of  a  company  of  gentlemen  who  sat  down  last  evening  to  dinner  at 
Martinelli's  wore  a  little  gold  figure  of  a  bear  on  his  breast.  This  is  an  insignia 
worn  only  by  pioneers  who  preceded  the  Forty-niners  to  California.  The  party 
of  diners  were  the  veterans  of  the  First  regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers  of 
the  Mexican  war.  The  regiment  was  raised  by  order  of  President  Polk,  with 
orders  to  proceed  to  California  by  the  then  only  method — around  Cape  Horn. 
Colonel  Jonathan  D.  Stevenson  was  placed  in  command,  and  the  instructions  of 
the  regiment  were  to  take  possession  of  the  Mexican  province  of  California  and 
hold  it.  President  Polk,  looking  to  the  future  benefit  of  the  province,  gave  in 
structions  that  the  material  of  the  regiment  should  be  carefully  chosen  and  as 
far  as  possible  should  consist  of  young  unmarried  men  with  trades.  There  was 
quite  a  competition  to  get  into  the  regiment,  and  many  of  the  best  families  of 
this  State  were  represented  in  the  thousand  men  and  officers  who  set  sail  on 
September  26,  1846,  in  the  transports  Thomas  H.  Perkins,  Loo  Choo,  Susan 
Drew  and  other  craft.  The  trip  was  a  long  and  eventful  one,  the  entire  winter 
of  1846-7  being  spent  in  making  the  voyage.  The  several  South  American 
ports  were  stopped  at,  and  some  very  remarkable  pranks  were  played  by  the 
young  soldier  lads.  There  were  a  few  lives  lost  by  heavy  storms  about  Cape 
Horn,  bi\t  the  vessels  arrived  at  San  Francisco  in  good  shape  in  March,  1847. 
The  bulk  of  the  work  of  conquering  the  province  had  already  been  accomplished 
by  the  naval  forces,  but  the  regiment  found  plenty  to  do  in  keeping  order  and 
in  performing  garrison  duty;  and  it  was  not  until  October  24,  1848,  that  the 
last  wing  of  the  regiment  was  disbanded  and  the  several  members  settled  down 
to  civil  avocations. 

The  discovery  of  gold  brought  .en  the  rush  of  fortune-seekers.  These  later 
comers  wear  the  badge  of  the  silver  bear,  and  proudly  refer  to  themselves  as 
pioneers;  but  the  First  regiment  veterans  were  already  on  the  spot. 

AROUND   THE   FESTIVE   BOARD. 

The  dinner  last  evening  was  held  on  the  date  of  the  disbandment  of  the 
command,  and  was  attended  by  such  of  the  old  members  as  had  drifted  back  in 
the  course  of  years  to  New  York.  Among  those  present  were  William  H. 
Rogers,  Russell  Myers  and  William  H.  Williams,  of  Company  A;  James  E. 
Nuttman  and  Charles  J.  McPherson,  of  Company  B;  Francis  D.  Clark,  John 
Wolfe  and  Jacob  W.  Norris,  of  Company  D;  John  H.  Welsh,  of  Company  E; 
Lieutenant  Jeremiah  Sherwood,  of  Company  G;  George  Van  Vechten,  of  Com- 


pany  H;  Joseph  Evans  and  Frank  S.  Stuart,  of  Company  I.  Major  Clark  pre 
sided,  and  the  evening  was  spent  in  recalling  incidents — pathetic,  humorous  and 
valuable — as  historic  material.  All  sorts  of  escapades  in  various  South  Ameri 
can  ports  were  confessed  to,  and  many  bits  of  insight  into  the  quaint  ways  of 
the  native  and  immigrant  population  of  early  California  were  told.  During  the 
dinner  Roswell  D.  Baldwin,  the  second  officer  of  the  Loo  Choo,  entered  the 
room  and  was  heartily  welcomed.  He  had  seen  a  notice  of  the  meeting  and 
had  not  before  known  of  the  organization  of  the  Gold  Bear  Veterans.  Later  in 
the  evening  letters  were  read  from  absent  members  and  from  the  parent  organi 
zation  of  the  regiment's  veterans  in  California. 

The  following  telegram  was  received  from  the  venerable  Colonel  of  the 
regiment  at  San  Francisco: 
"  Comrades  assembled  at  New  York: 

"  On  my  bended  knees  I  ask  God's  blessing  on  you  all. 

"JONATHAN  D.  STEVENSON." 

The  memory  of  dead  comrades  was  duly  honored  and  many  speeches  of  con 
gratulation  over  the  growth  of  the  State  which  each  one  present  had  assisted  in 
establishing  were  made.  After  midnight  there  were  many  empty  bottles  and 
some  wonderful  efforts  in  talking  Mexican  Spanish  from  memory. 


Gen'l  Edward  O.  C.  Ord,  United  States  Army,  died  at  Havana, 
Cuba,  Sunday  evening,  July  22,  1883,  of  yellow  fever.  In  1847-8 
he  was  a  Lieutenant  of  Co.  F,  3d  U.  S.  Artillery,  and  was  sta 
tioned  at  Monterey,  Cal.  Members  of  Stevenson's  regiment  will 
remember  this  officer — especially  those  of  Co.  "  D  "  and  "  I," 
with  whom  his  duties  were  so  closely  identified  during  their 
term  of  service  in  California. 


i6 

AN  INTERESTING  REMINISCENCE. 
THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY  AT  LOS  ANGELES  IN   i847. 

First  celebration  of  the  glorious  anniversary  of  our  National  Independence,  in 
California,  by  order  of  Col.  Stevenson;  the  Stars  and  Stripes  unfurled 
from  the  heights  of  Los  Angeles. 

Head-quarters  Southern  Military  Disirict, 

Ciudad  De  Los  Angeles,  July  ?d,  1847. 

Order  No.  i. — The 'anniversary  of  the  birthday  of  American  Independence 
will  be  celebrated  at  this  port  in  a  manner  as  worthy  of  the  occasion  as  our 
means  will  admit,  and  if  we  cannot  greet  its  return  by  a  display  of  as  much 
pomp  and  ceremony  as  will  no  doubt  be  made  at  many  ports  within  our  own 
native  land,  we  will  be  unsurpassed  by  a  proper  demonstration  of  that  pure 
heart-fell  joy,  which  should  animate  the  heart  of  every  lover  of  freedom  and 
free  institutions  throughout  the  civilized  world  upon  the  happy  return  of  this 
glorious  day. 

At  sunrise  a  Federal  salute  will  be  fired  from  the  field-work  on  the  hill, 
which  commands  this  town,  and  for  the  first  time  from  this  point  the  American 
standard  is  displayed. 

At  10  o'clock  every  soldier  at  this  post  will  be  under  arms.  The  detach 
ment  of  the  Seventh  Regiment  of  N.  Y.  Volunteers  and  the  first  Regiment  of 
U.  S.  Dragoons  (dismounted),  will  be  marched  to  the  field-work  on  the  hill, 
under  the  command  of  their  respective  senior  officers  present,  when,  togetner 
with  the  Mormon  Battalion,  the  whole  will  be  formed  at  n  o'clock  A.  M.  into  a 
hollow  square,  when  the  Declaration  of  Independence  will  be  read. 

At  the  close  of  this  ceremony,  the  field-works  will  he  dedicated  and  appro 
priately  named,  and  at  12  o'clock  a  national  salute  will  be  fired,  which  will  close 
the  ceremonies  of  the  day. 

Lieutenant  Smith  commanding  detachment  of  U.  S.  Dragoons,  will  cause  a 
proper  detail  to  be  made  from  his  command  to  fire  the  salute. 

The  field-work  at  this  post,  having  been  planned,  and  the  work  conducted 
entirely  by  A.  A.  Quarter-Master  Davidson  of  the  1st  Regiment  Dragoons,  he 
is  requested  to  hoist  upon  it,  for  the  first  time,  on  the  morning  of  the  Fourth, 
the  American  standard. 

It  is  the  custom  of  our  country  to  confer  on  its  fortifications  the  name  of 
some  distinguished  individual,  who  has  rendered  important  services  to  his 
country,  either  in  the  councils  of  the  nation  or  on  the  battle-field.  The  Com 
mandant  has  therefore  determined,  unless  the  Department  of  War  shall  other 
wise  direct,  to  confer  upon  the  field-work,  erected  at  the  port  of  Los  Angeles, 
the  name  of  one  who  was  regarded,  by  all  who  had  the  pleasure  of  his  acquaint 
ance,  as  a  perfect  specimen  of  an  American  officer,  and  whose  character,  for 
every  virtue  and  accomplishment  that  adorns  a  gentleman,  was  only  equalled  by 
the  reputation  he  had  acquired  in  the  field  for  his  gallantry  as  an  officer  and 
soldier,  and  his  life  was  sacrificed  in  the  conquest  of  this  territory  at  the  battle 
of  San  Pasqual.  The  Commander  directs,  that  from  and  after  the  4th  instant, 
it  shall  bear  the  name  of  Moore. 

Circumstances,  over  which  we  have  no  control,  have  prevented  the  com 
mand  at  this  port  being  completely  uniformed,  but  each  officer  and  soldier  will 
appear  on  the  Fourth  with  the  perfect  equipments  of  his  corps  as  f  >r  as  he  has 
them,  and  most  perfect  cleanliness,  as  well  in  arms  and  accoutrements  as  in 
person,  will  be  required  of  all.  Each  department  will  be  minutely  inspected 
before  assembling  on  the  hill.  By  order  of 

COL.  J.  D.  STEVENSON, 

J.  C.   BONNYCASTLE, 

First  Lieut,  and  Adjt. 


